Socio-Economic
Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 192 concerned Nigerians have
filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain Femi
Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives and all members from
spending N5billion to buy 400 exotic cars for principal officers and members.
SERAP is also
seeking a court order to and stop the National Assembly Service Commission from
releasing any public funds to the House of Representatives to buy 400 Toyota
Camry 2020 model cars estimated to cost $35,130 per car.
In the suit number
FHC/ABJ/CS/205/2020, SERAP and the concerned Nigerians argue that: “It is
illegal and unconstitutional for members of the House of Representatives to
choose to buy expensive and exotic cars while encouraging Nigerians to tighten
their belts and to patronize Nigerian brands. It is also illegal for members to
reject cheaper and equally reliable options.
“If the members of
House of Representatives take their duties to the most vulnerable and
disadvantaged among us seriously, including their duties to judiciously spend
public funds, they would not have voted to spend over $35,000 per car,
especially given the current economic and financial realities of Nigeria.
“There is chronic
poverty in Nigeria and many state governments are unable to pay salaries of
workers and pensions. Unless the reliefs sought are granted, the House of
Representatives will spend over N5 billion of public funds to buy the exotic
cars at the expense of many Nigerians living in poverty and misery.”
The plaintiffs are
asking the court to determine “Whether the proposed plan and resolution by the
House of Representatives to buy 400 exotic cars for principal officers and
members amounting to over Five Billion Naira in total, is not in breach of
Section 57[4] of the Public Procurement Act 2007, the oath of office, and
Paragraph 1 of Code of Conduct for Public Officers [Fifth Schedule Part 1] of
the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended].”
The suit, filed on
behalf of SERAP and the concerned Nigerians by their lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare
and Opeyemi Owolabi, read in part: “Members of the House of Representatives are
either unaware of the constitutional and statutory provisions on their
fiduciary duties and judicious use of public funds or deliberately glossing
over these provisions.”
They said it was
public knowledge that members of the House of Representatives receive huge sums
of money as monthly allowances and severance pay on conclusion of their
respective terms at the National Assembly.
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