Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has sent an open
letter to President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR requesting him to use his good
offices and leadership position “to urgently instruct security and
anti-corruption agencies to forward to you reports of their completed
investigations into allegations of padding and stealing of some N481
billion from the 2016 budget by some principal officers of the National
Assembly.”
The organization also asked Buhari to “direct the Attorney General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN, and/or
appropriate anti-corruption agencies to without delay commence prosecution
of indicted officers; and to urgently halt alleged ongoing attempt by some
principal officers of the National Assembly to divert N40 billion of the
N100 billion allocated by your government as ‘zonal intervention’ in the
2017 budget.”
In the letter dated 24 March 2017 and signed by SERAP deputy director
Timothy Adewale the organization requested the government to “take the
above recommended steps within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication
of this letter, failing which SERAP will institute appropriate legal and
public-interest proceedings to compel the government to discharge its
national and international anti-corruption obligations and commitments in
this matter.”
According to the organization, “Unless the principal officers indicted in
the alleged padding of the 2016 budget are promptly prosecuted and any
stolen public funds recovered, your government will not be able to stop
the alleged ongoing attempts to steal from the 2017 budget. Alleged
corruption in the budget process will not just melt away or simply
evaporate without addressing the fundamental issue of impunity of
perpetrators.”
The organization said that, “Addressing alleged corruption in the budget
process by pursuing prosecution of indicted principal officers of the
National Assembly will provide an important opportunity for your
government to reignite the fight against corruption and fulfil a cardinal
campaign promise, to show that your government works on behalf of the
many, and not the few, as well as jumpstart economic activities and break
the back of the current recession.”
The letter read in part: “Publishing the report of the investigation of
the alleged padding of the 2016 budget, and prosecuting suspected
perpetrators are absolutely important to avoid another padding in the 2017
budget, which your government can ill afford.”
“Corruption in the budget process takes away and erodes much needed
resources for public and developmental purposes. SERAP is seriously
concerned about the level of secrecy surrounding the budget process in the
National Assembly, which has invariably created a breeding place for
alleged corruption.”
“Secrecy in the National Assembly has clearly gone beyond the level
permitted by law, and apparently served as the incubator for corruption,
while depriving the Nigerian people of a much-needed opportunity to
cleanse the National Assembly of persistent allegations of corruption.”
“SERAP has received very credible information from multiple sources that
the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) have now completed investigations into the
allegations of padding of the 2016 budget, completed their reports, and
indicted some principal officers of the House of Representatives and the
Senate. Also, the accounts of some of the principal officers containing
allegedly illicit funds have been frozen, and that the case files for the
prosecution of those indicted are ready.”
“SERAP has also received credible information from whistle-blowers about
ongoing attempt by some principal officers of the National Assembly to
allegedly steal N40 billion of the N100 billion allocated by your
government as ‘zonal intervention’ (also known as constituency projects)
in the 2017 budget.”
“SERAP is also aware of the alleged risk of corruption involving the $2.5
budget oil bench mark increment which comes up to about N131 billion. The
N131 billion will be appropriated to either reduce deficit or increase
expenditure or both but unless the spending of the funds is closely
monitored and scrutinised, the funds may be diverted, mismanaged or
stolen.”
“SERAP is also concerned that deception in the budget process will
continue unless Nigerians are granted access to inspect the budget process
and other activities by the National Assembly. SERAP strongly believes
that Nigerians have the right to know what their lawmakers are doing so
that they are able to appraise their work and hold them to account.”
SERAP therefore asked Buhari to:
1. Urgently instruct security and anti-corruption agencies to forward
to him reports of their investigations into allegations of padding and
stealing of some N481 billion from the 2016 budget by some principal
officers of the National Assembly, and to direct the Attorney General of
the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN, and/or
appropriate anti-corruption agencies to without delay commence prosecution
of indicted officers;
2. Direct the publication of the report of investigations by security
and anti-corruption bodies into the alleged padding of the 2016 budget
3. Urgently halt alleged ongoing attempt by some principal officers of
the National Assembly to steal N40 billion of the N100 billion allocated
by your government as ‘zonal intervention’ in the 2017 budget;
4. Closely monitor and scrutinise the spending of N131 billion
(accrued from increased oil bench mark) allocated for additional
non-constituency projects expenditure, to remove the possibility of
corruption