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A Federal High Court in Lagos has declared the National Assembly’s ₦110 billion expenditure on sport utility vehicles and support allowances for lawmakers unlawful, ruling that the spending violated procurement laws and failed to meet standards of transparency and accountability.
Justice Yellim Bogoro, who delivered the judgment, voided the ₦40 billion spent on 465 SUVs and the ₦70 billion paid as support allowances to lawmakers elected in 2023.
The court held that the expenditure breached provisions of the Public Procurement Act and amounted to a misuse of public resources.
The ruling followed a suit filed by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project against the National Assembly, challenging the legality of the expenditure.
According to the court, lawmakers failed to provide sufficient evidence that due process, competitive bidding procedures and value-for-money assessments were followed before the funds were approved and spent.
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Justice Bogoro said the beneficiaries of the expenditure were the same officials responsible for approving it, creating a clear conflict of interest.
He added that allocating ₦110 billion for lawmakers’ vehicles and allowances at a time of widespread economic hardship reflected a failure to prioritise the national interest and undermined the fiduciary responsibility public officials owe Nigerians.
The court also dismissed arguments that legislative autonomy shielded the National Assembly from judicial scrutiny, stressing that the principle of separation of powers does not protect unlawful actions.
It subsequently ordered Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to ensure that future procurements and expenditures strictly comply with transparency, accountability and due process requirements.
The judgment is expected to intensify public debate over legislative spending and reinforce calls for greater accountability in the management of public funds.
