Court strikes down National Assembly’s N110bn SUV, allowance bonanza

The Federal High Court in Lagos has declared unlawful the National Assembly’s controversial N110 billion expenditure on vehicles and allowances for lawmakers, ruling that the spending violated procurement regulations, constitutional provisions and principles of public accountability.

In a landmark judgment delivered on May 6, 2026, Justice Yellim Bogoro held that the allocation of N40 billion for the procurement of 465 vehicles for lawmakers and N70 billion in support allowances for newly elected members amounted to a breach of statutory procurement standards and public trust.

The court further directed Senate President, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Tajudeen Abbas, to ensure that all future procurement processes and public expenditures undertaken by the National Assembly strictly adhere to due process, transparency, accountability and value-for-money principles.

The judgment followed a suit filed in August 2023 by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), which challenged the National Assembly’s decision to spend N110 billion on vehicles and allowances amid widespread economic hardship across the country.

Justice Bogoro ruled that the scale of the expenditure, coupled with the absence of evidence demonstrating compliance with procurement procedures, rendered the spending arbitrary and disproportionate.

She noted that lawmakers were both the beneficiaries and approvers of the expenditure, describing the arrangement as a clear case of self-dealing and conflict of interest.

The judge observed that, given Nigeria’s prevailing economic realities and widespread hardship, allocating N110 billion for lawmakers’ benefit reflected a failure to prioritise national interest.

She stressed that the doctrine of separation of powers could not be invoked to shield unlawful conduct from judicial scrutiny, particularly where constitutional and statutory provisions were allegedly breached.

According to the court, the allocation undermined the fiduciary duty public officials owe Nigerians and was inconsistent with the constitutional oath of office.

Justice Bogoro emphasised that public office must never be used for personal enrichment and that holders of public office are obligated to act in good faith and within constitutional limits.

The court also dismissed objections raised by the defendants regarding SERAP’s legal standing, the alleged failure to issue a pre-action notice and claims that the matter had become academic because the funds had already been spent.

The judge held that public-interest organisations such as SERAP have the right to institute actions aimed at protecting public interest and promoting accountability.

Justice Bogoro further ruled that the National Assembly failed to provide credible evidence demonstrating compliance with procurement procedures, competitive bidding requirements or value-for-money assessments.

Consequently, she held that the expenditure violated Section 57(4) of the Public Procurement Act 2007, the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and constitutional provisions governing the conduct of public officials.

Welcoming the judgment, SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, described the ruling as a significant victory for transparency, accountability and responsible management of public resources.

He said the decision reaffirmed the principle that public funds must be expended strictly in the public interest and in accordance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, also hailed the judgment, saying it underscored the need for public officials to avoid extravagant spending while millions of Nigerians grapple with poverty.

He urged the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to enforce constitutional provisions regulating the salaries and allowances of National Assembly members and called on lawmakers to comply with the court’s decision without delay.

Following the judgment, SERAP wrote to Akpabio and Abbas, urging the National Assembly to immediately implement the court’s orders and demonstrate commitment to the rule of law, transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.

Among the reliefs granted, the court declared that the proposed N40 billion expenditure on 465 bulletproof vehicles and the N70 billion support allowance for lawmakers contravened the Public Procurement Act, the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and the constitutional oath of office.

The court also ordered the National Assembly to ensure that future expenditures of public funds are guided by due process, transparency, accountability and value for money.