{"id":75755,"date":"2020-09-14T02:41:31","date_gmt":"2020-09-14T01:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=75755"},"modified":"2020-09-14T02:41:31","modified_gmt":"2020-09-14T01:41:31","slug":"serap-sues-lawan-gbajabiamila-over-failure-to-publish-details-of-corruption-probes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/exclusive\/serap-sues-lawan-gbajabiamila-over-failure-to-publish-details-of-corruption-probes\/","title":{"rendered":"SERAP sues Lawan, Gbajabiamila over ‘failure to publish details of corruption probes’"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a
\nlawsuit against the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of
\nHouse of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila over “their failure to
\npublish reports of all completed public hearings and corruption probes
\nby the National Assembly since 1999, and failure to disclose the number
\nof probes that have resulted in any indictment of suspects, and to name
\nsuch suspects.”The suit followed recent public hearings by the National Assembly on
\ncorruption allegations in ministries, departments, and agencies,
\nincluding the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and Nigeria
\nSocial Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). Reports of several public hearings
\nand corruption probes have remained secret, and the allegations
\nunresolved.<\/p>\n

In the suit number FHC\/ABJ\/CS\/1065\/2020 filed last week at the Federal
\nHigh Court, Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and
\ncompel Dr Lawal and Mr. Gbajabiamila to send all reports of completed
\npublic hearings and corruption probes to appropriate anti-corruption
\nagencies to consider if there is sufficient admissible evidence to
\npursue prosecution.”<\/p>\n

SERAP is also seeking: “an order for leave to apply for judicial review
\nand an order of mandamus to direct and\/or compel Dr. Lawal and Mr.
\nGbajabiamila to widely publish all reports of completed public hearings
\nand corruption probes by the Senate and the House of Representatives,
\nand to disclose the number and names of any indicted suspects since
\n1999.”<\/p>\n

SERAP is asking the court for “an order of mandamus to direct and compel
\nDr Lawal and Mr. Gbajabiamila to sponsor a resolution to stop lawmakers
\nfrom directly getting involved in the execution of projects by MDAs, and
\nto ensure the proper and effective exercise of their oversight functions
\nover corruption allegations including in the Niger Delta Development
\nCommission (NDDC) and Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).”<\/p>\n

The suit followed SERAP’s Freedom of Information (FoI) requests dated 25
\nJuly 2020, stating that: “The most effective way to deter corruption is
\nto make the cost of engaging in these types of acts higher than the
\nrewards. This end can only be accomplished by making public the reports
\nand pursuing public accountability for corrupt acts.”<\/p>\n

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “The court ought to compel Dr. Lawal
\nand Mr. Gbajabiamila to publish the reports of hearings and probes and
\nto send the reports to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for
\nprosecution. Granting the reliefs sought would bolster public trust and
\nconfidence in the lawmakers’ oversight functions, and dispel the
\nperception that many of the hearings and probes are politically
\nmotivated and serve a personal interest, rather than the general public
\ninterests.”<\/p>\n

SERAP is also arguing that: “Nigerians have the right to information, as
\nguaranteed under Section 39(1) of the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 (as
\namended), and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’
\nRights, which the country has ratified and domesticated as part of its
\nnational laws.”<\/p>\n

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and
\nOpeyemi Owolabi, read in part: “There is no legally justifiable reason
\nwhy the information should not be made widely available to Nigerians,
\nand why the prosecution of indicted suspects should not be pursued,
\nwhere there is relevant admissible evidence.”<\/p>\n

“Public officers are mere custodians of public records. There is a
\nlegitimate public interest in the publication of the reports of these
\npublic hearings and probes. The public hearings and probes can only
\nserve as effective mechanisms to prevent and combat corruption if their
\nreports are widely published.”<\/p>\n

“The exercise of oversight functions and powers by the National Assembly
\nto conduct public hearings and corruption probes in MDAs should be
\nregarded as a public trust. The National Assembly has a unique
\nopportunity to enhance the integrity of its oversight functions on
\ncorruption matters in particular, and other constitutional roles, in
\ngeneral.”<\/p>\n

“Both the Senate and House of Representatives have over the years
\nconducted several public hearings and corruption probes to expose the
\npervasive problem of corruption in MDAs. Publishing the reports and
\npursuing prosecution would give Nigerians greater confidence that their
\nlawmakers can use their constitutional oversight functions to address
\ncorruption in Nigeria.”<\/p>\n

“Lack of transparency and accountability about the systemic and
\nwidespread corruption allegations in MDAs and among high-ranking public
\nofficials has continued to create a culture of impunity, and to have
\nnegative impacts on socio-economic development, as well as access of
\nNigerians to public goods and services, including quality education,
\nadequate healthcare, clean water, and regular electricity supply.”<\/p>\n

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila over “their failure to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":75757,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\nSERAP sues Lawan, Gbajabiamila over 'failure to publish details of corruption probes' - Pointblank News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/exclusive\/serap-sues-lawan-gbajabiamila-over-failure-to-publish-details-of-corruption-probes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"SERAP sues Lawan, Gbajabiamila over 'failure to publish details of corruption probes' - 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