A group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has dragged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to court over his alleged failure to refer the alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding claim to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution, and to recall Senator Abdul Ningi who blew the whistle on the allegation.
Senate suspended Ningi for three months over his allegation that the 2024 budget was padded by over N3 trillion.
SERAP in suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/452/2024 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, sought “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to refer the alleged N3.7 trillion budget padding to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution of suspected perpetrators.”
It also sought “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to immediately take steps to ensure the reinstatement of whistleblower Abdul Ningi who was suspended from the Senate over his allegations that the lawmakers padded the 2024 budget by irregularly inserting projects worth N3.7 trillion.”
It is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to put in place transparency and accountability mechanisms to ensure that the trillions of Naira budgeted for constituency projects are not embezzled, misappropriated or diverted into private pockets.”