[The Activism Blog] SERAP’s persistence on NASS’ accountability just paid off

The quest for accountability in public office championed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has yielded another positive result as the federal high court in Ikoyi on October 27, 2017, granted the prayers of SERAP to compel the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to account for the spending of N500 billion as running cost for the legislative body between 2006 and 2016 and disclose monthly allowances of each member.

This court order is another step to achieve accountability as it relates to public office in Nigeria especially the National Assembly.

Over the years, the National Assembly has refused to make its spendings known including its budget which reportedly runs into hundreds of billions despite the #OpenNass promise of the Bukola Saraki led National Assembly.

The budget and their earnings are shrouded in secrecy, thereby giving room for speculations on their earnings from different quarter and individuals. The latest being the revelation by the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-corruption, Professor Itse Sagay who claims that each senator earns a monthly salary and allowances of twenty-nine million Naira.

The figure was however rejected by the National Assembly, but they’ve failed to state how much they earn.

This effort by SERAP is a right step in the right direction to promote accountability in the dealings of the National Assembly.

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