NASS Scandal: SERAP Demands Accountability for ₦18.6 Billion Funds, Urges Akpabio and Abbas to Act

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to account for ₦18.6 billion allocated for the construction of the National Assembly Commission Office Complex. According to SERAP, the funds may have been misappropriated, diverted, or stolen, citing the Auditor-General’s 2022 annual report.

Key Allegations:

• Contract Inflation: The contract was allegedly inflated by ₦6.9 billion for converting the roof garden to office space without approval.
• Lack of Transparency: The contract was awarded without a needs assessment, newspaper advertisements, a bidding process, or a contract agreement.
• Fictitious Company: The construction company that collected ₦18.6 billion may be fictitious, with unknown directors and shareholders.

SERAP’s Demands:

• Immediate Accounting: Akpabio and Abbas must account for the missing funds and disclose the project’s implementation status.
• Investigation and Prosecution: SERAP urges the National Assembly to refer the allegations to anticorruption agencies for investigation and prosecution.
• Recovery of Funds: The organization demands the recovery of any misappropriated public funds.