Socio-Economic Right And
Accountability Project has taken the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan; Speaker
of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila and the Federal Capital
Development Agency over the N37 billion earmarked for the renovation of the
National Assembly complex.
The group is asking the court to
retrain until the Federal Government from collecting the money unitl an impact
assessment of the spending on critical sectors and access to public goods and
services, is carried out.
In the suit number
FHC/ABJ/CS/1633/2019 filed last week at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the
plaintiffs argued:
“The National Assembly complex
should be a safe and conducive environment for those who work there. But
spending ₦37 billion to renovate the place is not commensurate with the
constitutional commitments to public services and goods; decreasing public
revenues and increasing level of debts as well as the poor economic and social
realities in the country.”
The plaintiffs also argued:
“Spending N37 billion to renovate the National Assembly complex is
self-serving, wrongful, illegal and unconstitutional expenditure of public
funds, as it means less money for educating millions of out-of-school Nigerian
children, providing access to clean water and healthcare to Nigerians including
the elderly, or repairing the country’s roads and bridges.”
The 583 concerned Nigerians who
joined the suit as co-plaintiffs include: Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG)
co-convener Aisha Yesufu; Nigerian singer and actor Banky Wellington; Mrs Ayo
Obe; Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, and Fisayo Soyombo.
The suit, filed by Kolawole
Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, read in part: “The defendants are public
officers who have sworn the constitutional oaths of office to perform their
respective duties in the interest of Nigerian citizens. The refusal of
President Buhari to object to the Budget/Appropriation Bill containing a huge
N37 billion on renovation of the National Assembly complex is a gross violation
of the constitution and existing laws in Nigeria.”
“The National Assembly complex
was reportedly constructed at the cost of $35.18 Million USD in 1999 and ₦40.2
Billion Naira was budgeted in December 2013 for the construction of phase III
of the National Assembly Complex and renovation of the first and second phases
of the complex.”
“The 2020 Budget is in deficit of
₦2.175 Trillion with anticipated revenue at ₦8.42 Trillion Naira and proposed
expenditure of ₦10.594 Trillion.
“The present-day economic reality
in Nigeria includes chronic poverty amongst a high percentage of citizens and
the inability of many state governments to pay salaries of workers and
pensions. Unless the reliefs sought are granted, the Defendants will take
benefit of the allocated N37 billion at the expense of many Nigerians living in
poverty.”
“The crux of the Plaintiffs’
argument is better expressed in the question: Why should the nation spend so
much on a building when there are other important areas of national
infrastructure that can be developed in order to affect a greater number of
citizens?”
The plaintiffs want the court to
determine: “Whether N37 billion proposed, voted and allocated for renovation of
the National Assembly Complex in the 2020 Nigerian National Budget via
Appropriation Act 2019 by the National Assembly and signed into law by
President Buhari is not in breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers
[Fifth Schedule Part 1] of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] and
Oath of a Member of the National Assembly.”
The plaintiffs are seeking “an order
of interim injunction restraining President Buhari and the Minister of Finance,
Budget and National Planning, or their agents from releasing the N37 billion
allocated for the renovation of the National Assembly complex to the Federal
Capital Development Agency and the National Assembly leadership pending the
hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for an Order of Interlocutory
Injunction filed contemporaneously in this suit.”
The plaintiffs are also seeking
“an order of interim injunction restraining the Senate President Speaker of the
House of Representatives and the Federal Capital Development Agency from
demanding or collecting the N37 billion proposed for the renovation of the
National Assembly pending the hearing and determination of Motion on Notice
filed contemporaneously in this suit.”
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