Court voids National Assembly’s N110bn vote for vehicles, allowances
By Victor Idajili
The Federal High Court in Lagos has declared unlawful the National Assembly’s planned N110 billion expenditure on vehicles and allowances for lawmakers, ruling that it violated procurement laws, constitutional provisions and public trust.
In a judgment delivered on May 6, 2026, Justice Yellim Bogoro voided the allocation of N40 billion for 465 vehicles for members of the National Assembly and N70 billion in “support allowances” for newly elected lawmakers.
The suit, FHC/L/CS/1606/2023, was filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
Justice Bogoro held that the scale of the spending, combined with the absence of demonstrable due process, made the procurement unlawful.
“Looking at the magnitude of the expenditure, coupled with the absence of demonstrable due process, leads me to conclude that the procurement is arbitrary, disproportionate and inconsistent with statutory procurement standards,” she said.
The court also found a conflict of interest. “The beneficiaries of the expenditure are the very officials approving it, and the expenditure confers direct pecuniary and material benefits. This, to my mind, constitutes a case of self-dealing and conflict of interest,” the judge ruled.
Taking judicial notice of Nigeria’s economic realities, Justice Bogoro criticized the allocation amid widespread hardship.
“I have taken judicial notice of the economic realities in Nigeria and the widespread financial hardship affecting Nigerian citizens. In this context, the allocation of N110bn for the benefit of lawmakers demonstrates a failure to prioritise national interest,” she stated.
She rejected the National Assembly’s argument that separation of powers shielded it from judicial review: “The doctrine of separation of powers does not operate as a shield for illegality. The court is concerned with the legality and constitutionality of legislative spending.”
The judge further ruled that public office must not be used for personal enrichment and that the conduct violated the oath of office.
The National Assembly argued the spending was lawful, already appropriated and implemented, and challenged SERAP’s right to sue. Justice Bogoro dismissed those objections, affirming SERAP’s standing for public interest litigation and noting the urgency of the matter.
On the merits, the court said lawmakers failed to provide evidence of competitive bidding, value-for-money assessment or compliance with the Public Procurement Act.
“The defendants have failed to provide any credible evidence of compliance with procurement procedure, competitive bidding and value-for-money assessment. The defendants have not rebutted the allegations specifically made, and as such they are deemed admitted,” Justice Bogoro said.
The court granted three reliefs: declarations that the N40bn vehicle scheme and N70bn allowance breached constitutional and statutory provisions, and an order that future National Assembly spending must follow due process, transparency, accountability and value-for-money principles.
SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare called it “a major victory for transparency, accountability and responsible management of public resources.” He added that “every naira diverted to unlawful or wasteful spending is a naira denied to education, healthcare, social protection and security.”
Senior Advocate Femi Falana welcomed the ruling, saying it exposed the disconnect between officeholders and citizens’ suffering. He urged the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to fix lawmakers’ salaries and allowances as required by Section 70 of the Constitution.
In a June 6, 2026 letter to Akpabio and Abbas, SERAP urged immediate implementation of the judgment, calling it “a victory for the rule of law, transparency and accountability in the governance processes and management of public resources.”
