A Lagos-based human rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has instituted a legal action against 36 state governors in the country over their alleged failure to account for the spending of the N72 billion palliative collected from the Federal Government, FG, including details of the beneficiaries and the reliefs provided with the money….CONTINUE READING.....READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
It would be recalled that the FG had disbursed N2 billion out of the N5 billion palliative packages to each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to address the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy.
In its suit designated FHC/L/CS/1943/2023 before a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, the human rights group is asking the court for an order of mandamus to direct and compel each of the 36 state governors to account for the spending of the N2 billion palliative collected by the governors from the FG.
SERAP is equally asking the court for an order of mandamus to direct and compel each of the 36 state governors to disclose details of the beneficiaries and the reliefs provided to the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians with the fund.
The group is further seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel each of the 36 state governors to instruct the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to monitor the spending of fuel subsidy palliative collected by them”.
According to SERAP, “Government secrecy is fundamentally anti-democratic. Secrecy in the spending of the N72 billion collected by the 36 state governors would create distrust or suspicion of the government.
“The failure by the governors to account for the public funds is both legally and morally wrong”.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case….CONTINUE READING
