Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nyesom Wike, at the Federal High Court in Abuja over failure to account for an alleged missing N40 trillion federal allocations meant for local governments in the states and the FCT.
The suit followed the damning revelations by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who, in December 2022, stated: “If the money from the Federation Account to the state is about N100 million, N50 million will be sent to the chairman, but he will sign that he received N100 million. The chairman will pocket the balance and share it.”
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/231/2024, filed at the weekend, the organisation is asking the court to direct and compel the governors to publish details of local council allocations and actual disbursement to the councils in their respective states from 1999 to date.
SERAP is also asking the court to compel and direct Wike to publish details of federal allocations meant for area councils in the FCT, and the actual disbursement of the allocations to the councils from 1999 to date.
In the suit, the group argued that the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Freedom of Information Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights impose transparency obligations on governors and Wike to publish details of local council allocations and actual disbursement.
SERAP is arguing that governors and Wike cannot hide under the excuse that the Freedom of Information Act is not applicable to their states and the FCT.
The legal obligations to publish the information sought, it argues, are also imposed by provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
According to the group, it is in the public interest and the interest of justice to grant this application. It noted that Nigerians are entitled to their constitutionally and internationally recognised human right to information.
SERAP noted that transparency in the actual disbursement and spending of federal allocations meant for local councils is fundamental to increase accountability, prevent corruption and build trust in democratic institutions, as well as strengthen the rule of law.
