The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has formally requested that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas refer findings of missing constituency project funds to anti-corruption authorities. The organization is calling for an urgent investigation into the alleged misappropriation or diversion of N6.3 billion, as highlighted in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2022 annual report.
In a letter signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP demands that the National Assembly identify the contractors and companies responsible for these failures. The organization insists that any recovered funds must be returned to the national treasury and that those culpable must face prosecution. SERAP emphasizes that these financial irregularities violate both the Nigerian Constitution and international governance standards.
The Auditor-General’s report details extensive misconduct across multiple agencies, including the Environmental Health Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology in Vom, and the Federal Polytechnic in Ukana. Findings include payments made into private bank accounts, contracts awarded to unqualified entities, and significant project funding provided for work that was never completed or existed only on paper. Other implicated organizations include the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
SERAP warns that if no action is taken within seven days, they will initiate legal proceedings to compel the National Assembly to address these issues. The group maintains that the legislature must set a standard of accountability to ensure that public resources serve the Nigerian people rather than being lost to graft and administrative negligence.
