Lagos, Oct. 22, 2023 – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the House of Representatives for procuring and attempting to distribute 360 SUV vehicles each costing N57.6 billion to its members.
The suit, which was filed at a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, is praying the court to stop the House from procuring the vehicles.
Kolawole Oluwadare, A Deputy Director in SERAP, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
He said that the group’s applications for interim and interlocutory injunction followed reports that the lawmakers were set to procure and take delivery of N57.6 billion SUVs and each costing at least N160 million.
In its suit FHC/L/CS/1606/2023, SERAP is praying for, “An order of interim injunction restraining the National Assembly from procuring, taking delivery and distributing the SUVs to their members, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for an order of interlocutory injunction filed simultaneously in this suit”.
The group is seeking “Such further order(s) that the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance of this suit”.
SERAP is questioning the legality of the spending billions of naira by the National Assembly to purchase exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials.
The group has also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to mount pressure on the leadership of the House of Representatives and stop members from taking delivery of 360 SUVs.
In a letter, dated October 21, 2023, SERAP urged the president to “Put pressure on the leadership of the Senate and stop members from taking delivery of the planned procurement of bulletproof SUVs, pending the hearing and determination of the application for interim injunction filed before the Federal High Court”.
“Allowing the National Assembly to go ahead and purchase and take delivery of the SUVs, would prejudice the outcome of the suit pending in court and make a mockery of the rule of law.
“Unless you exercise your executive powers and discharge your constitutional oath of office act as recommended, the lawmakers would go ahead to procure and take delivery of the N57.6 billion vehicles, and thereby present the court with a fait accompli.
“It would invariably hamstring the ability of the court to do justice in the pending suit and applications for an injunction.” (GBN)
