The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, over their alleged failure to account for ₦18.6bn reportedly allocated for the construction of the National Assembly Service Commission office complex.
SERAP filed suit FHC/ABJ/CS/2457/2025 at the Federal High Court in Abuja last week, naming Akpabio and Abbas as defendants on behalf of all members of the National Assembly, and joining the NASC as a respondent.
In a statement signed on Sunday by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said the suit followed “grave allegations” contained in the 2022 annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on September 9, 2025.
Citing details from the Auditor-General’s report, SERAP said the NASC “paid over N11.6 billion [N11,647,302,594.00] to ‘an unknown construction company’ for ‘the construction of the Commission’s Complex within 24 months.’
“The payment was reportedly made on 11 August 2020. But ‘the contract was inflated by over N6.9 billion [N6,930,000,000.00]’ and the money was reportedly paid to the construction company on 29 November 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 review of the contract, and the ‘BOQ for the contract of N11.6 billion was not priced.’
“Both contracts were reportedly awarded without any needs assessment, newspaper advertisements, bidding process, contract agreement, bidders’ quotations, or any approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). There was also no Bureau of Public Procurement Certificate of ‘No Objection’.”
According to SERAP, the Auditor-General fears the N18.6 billion budgeted for the construction of the Commission’s office complex and the conversion of the roof garden to office space “may have been diverted, misappropriated or stolen” and wants the money accounted for.
SERAP, in the suit filed by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, is seeking an order of mandamus compelling Akpabio, Abbas and the NASC to “account for the whereabouts of ₦18.6bn meant for the construction of the NASC office complex.”
The organisation is also asking the court to compel the respondents to disclose the name of the “fictitious construction company” that allegedly received the funds, as well as make public the assessment reports, bid advertisements, bid quotations, contract documents, minutes of Tender Board meetings and the Federal Executive Council approval for the project.
SERAP argued that the alleged diversion or misappropriation of the ₦18.6bn amounts to a violation of public trust, the 1999 Constitution and international anti-corruption standards.
“Nigerians have the right to know the whereabouts of the ₦18.6bn and details of the contractors that collected the money,” it said, noting that granting the orders sought would “serve legitimate public interests” and strengthen democratic institutions.
The suit stated that the National Assembly must “uphold and defend the basic principles of transparency, accountability and the rule of law.”
SERAP argued that granting its reliefs would ensure accountability, enable the recovery of any diverted funds and promote public trust.
The organisation cited various constitutional provisions that require public institutions to prevent corrupt practices, manage national resources responsibly and safeguard the welfare of citizens.
It also referenced Nigeria’s obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
PUNCH Online reports that the legal action comes after SERAP had earlier, on October 19, urged both Akpabio and Abbas to explain the alleged missing funds.
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