SERAP Drags Akpabio, Abbas to Court Over ₦18.6bn National Assembly Funds

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has taken legal action against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas for allegedly failing to account for ₦18.6 billion earmarked for the construction of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) office complex.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2457/2025, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja last week. Akpabio and Abbas were listed as defendants on behalf of all members of the National Assembly, while the NASC was joined as a respondent.

In a statement on Sunday signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said the case was prompted by “serious allegations” contained in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2022 report released on September 9, 2025.

Citing details from the audit report, SERAP said the NASC paid over ₦11.6 billion to an “unknown construction company” on August 11, 2020, for the Commission’s complex, originally slated for completion within 24 months. The contract was later allegedly inflated by more than ₦6.9 billion, with additional payments made on November 29, 2023, purportedly for converting a roof garden into office space.

SERAP added that the contracts were reportedly awarded without a Bill of Quantity, needs assessment, public advertisement, bidding process, contract agreement, bidders’ quotations or Federal Executive Council approval. There was also allegedly no Bureau of Public Procurement certificate of “No Objection.”

According to the Auditor-General, the ₦18.6 billion allocated for the project “may have been diverted, misappropriated or stolen,” prompting calls for full accountability.

In the lawsuit filed by SERAP’s lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo the group is seeking an order compelling Akpabio, Abbas and the NASC to explain how the ₦18.6 billion was spent. SERAP is also asking the court to mandate the disclosure of the identity of the construction company that received the payments, alongside assessment reports, bid advertisements, quotations, contract documents, minutes of tender meetings and evidence of FEC approval.

SERAP argued that the alleged diversion of funds violates public trust, the 1999 Constitution and international anti-corruption obligations. The organisation said Nigerians “have the right to know” what happened to the money, insisting that transparency and accountability are essential to strengthening democratic governance.

The suit maintains that ensuring public access to these details would help recover any misused funds, reinforce accountability and promote trust in public institutions. It also invokes provisions of the Constitution that mandate the responsible management of national resources and Nigeria’s commitments under the UN Convention Against Corruption.

A hearing date has yet to be scheduled.