The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Tajudeen Abbas, over their failure to account for the missing N18.6 billion meant for the construction of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) office complex.
Mr. Akpabio and Mr. Abbas are being sued on behalf of every member of the National Assembly as well as for themselves.
The National Assembly Service Commission has joined the lawsuit as respondent.
SERAP’s action followed the alarming charges documented in the latest 2022 annual report published by the Auditor-General of the Federation on September 9, 2025.
In the suit number, FHC/ ABJ/CS/2457/2025, filed last week at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr. Akpabio, Mr. Abbas and the NASC to account for the whereabouts of N18.6 billion meant for the construction of the National Assembly Service Commission Office Complex.
“A mandamus order directing and compelling Mr. Akpabio, Mr. Abbas, and the NASC to reveal the identity of the purported “fictitious construction business” that raised N18.6 billion to build the National Assembly Commission Office Complex.
“An order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr. Akpabio, Mr. Abbas and the NASC to provide the assessment reports, bid advertisements, bid quotations and construction contract, minutes of tender board’s meetings and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval for the complex project.
The claims that N18.6 billion intended for the building of the National Assembly Service Commission Office Complex has been misappropriated or diverted constitute a serious breach of international anticorruption norms, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and public confidence.
“Nigerians are entitled to know the location of the N18.6 billion and the specifics of the contractors that collected the funds. It would serve justifiable public interests to grant the requested relief.
“Directing and compelling Mr. Akpabio, Mr. Abbas, and the NASC to account for and explain the whereabouts of the N18.6 billion and details of the contractors that collected the money would build trust in democratic institutions and strengthen the rule of law,” states SERAP.
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, alos reads in part: “The National Assembly ought to live up to its constitutional responsibilities by upholding and defending the basic principles of transparency, accountability and the rule of law.
“Granting the reliefs sought would also improve public confidence and trust in the ability of the National Assembly to exercise their constitutional and oversight responsibilities, and to adhere to the highest standards of integrity, transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
The National Assembly Service Commission spent more than N11.6 billion [N11,647,302,594,00] to “an unknown construction company” for “the construction of the commission’s complex within 24 months,” according to the recently released 2022 audited report by the Auditor General of the Federation.
According to reports, the money was paid on August 11, 2020. However, “the contract was over N6.9 billion [N6,930,000.000.00] inflated.” and the building company apparently received the funds on November 29, 2023, “for the conversion of the roof garden to office space.”
“The contract was reportedly awarded without a Bill of Quantity (BoQ) for the upward of the contract, and the ‘BoQ for the contract of N11.6 billion was not priced.’
According to reports, both contracts were given out without a needs assessment, newspaper ads, bidding procedure, contract agreement, bidders’ quotes, or Federal Executive Council (FEC) clearance. There was also no ‘Bureau of Public Procurement’s Certificate of ‘No Objection’.’
The N18.6 billion in public monies allocated for “the construction of the commission’s office complex and the conversion of the roof garden to office space” may have been stolen, misappropriated, or diverted, according to the Auditor-General. He wants the funds to be tracked.
These serious infractions demonstrate the National Assembly’s and its commission’s ongoing inability to uphold the values of accountability and transparency.
“Granting the reliefs sought would ensure that those suspected to be responsible for the diversion and misappropriation of the N18.6 billion are brought to justice and facilitate the recovery of any proceeds of corruption.
Corruption continues to have a significant negative social and economic impact on Nigeria’s poor and vulnerable. Corruption exposes individuals to increased fees to pay for health, education and administrative services.
The majority of Nigerians are deprived of opportunities and kept in poverty by corruption. It is therefore the duty of the National Assembly to stop it.
“Allegations of corruption continue to impede economic growth, violate social justice, erode confidence in political, social, and economic institutions, and result in subpar public services.”
The Nigerian constitution’s Section 15(5) mandates that all corrupt practices and abuses of authority be eliminated by public institutions, including the National Assembly and its commission.
“The National Assembly and its commission are clearly required by Section 13 of the Nigerian constitution to adhere to, observe, and implement the provisions of Chapter 2 of the constitution.”
The National Assembly and its commission are required under Section 16(1)(a)(b) to “secure the maximum welfare, freedom, and happiness of every citizen” and to “harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, a dynamic, and self-reliant economy.”
“Section 16(2) further provides that, ‘the material resources of the nation are harnessed and distributed as best as possible to serve the common good.’
In order to ensure accountability in the administration of public resources, Nigeria has undertaken legally binding commitments under the UN Convention against Corruption.
“Articles 5 and 9 of the UN Convention against Corruption also impose legal obligations on the National Assembly to ensure proper management of public affairs and public funds. These promises should be thoroughly honored and upheld.
No date has however been established for the hearing of the suit.
