SERAP Wants Akpabio, Abbas To Account For ₦18.6bn Allegedly Paid To ‘Unknown Company ‘

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has dragged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, before a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, over their alleged failure to account for ₦18.6bn reportedly allocated for the construction of the National Assembly Service Commission office complex.

SERAP filed suit FHC/ABJ/CS/2457/2025 before the Court last week, naming the dou of Akpabio and Abbas as defendants on behalf of all members of the National Assembly.

The NASC was also joined as a respondent in the suit.

In a statement signed on Sunday by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said the suit followed “grave allegations” contained in the 2022 annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federation, published on September 9, 2025.

Citing details from the Auditor-General’s report, SERAP said the NASC “paid over N11.6 billion [N11,647,302,594.00] to ‘an unknown construction company’ for ‘the construction of the Commission’s Complex within 24 months.’“The payment was reportedly made on 11 August 2020. But ‘the contract was inflated by over N6.9 billion [N6,930,000,000.00]’ and the money was reportedly paid to the construction company on 29 November 2023 ‘for the conversion of the roof garden to office space.’

“The contract was reportedly awarded without a Bill of Quantity (BOQ) for the upward review of the contract, and the ‘BOQ for the contract of N11.6 billion was not priced.’

“Both contracts were reportedly awarded without any needs assessment, newspaper advertisements, bidding process, contract agreement, bidders’ quotations, or any approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). There was also no Bureau of Public Procurement Certificate of ‘No Objection’.”

According to SERAP, the Auditor-General fears the N18.6 billion budgeted for the construction of the Commission’s office complex and the conversion of the roof garden to office space “may have been diverted, misappropriated or stolen” and wants the money accounted for.

SERAP, in the suit filed by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, is seeking an order of mandamus compelling Akpabio, Abbas and the NASC to “account for the whereabouts of ₦18.6bn meant for the construction of the NASC office complex.”

The organisation is also asking the court to compel the respondents to disclose the name of the “fictitious construction company” that allegedly received the funds, as well as make public the assessment reports, bid advertisements, bid quotations, contract documents, minutes of Tender Board meetings and the Federal Executive Council approval for the project.

SERAP argued that the alleged diversion or misappropriation of the ₦18.6bn amounts to a violation of public trust, the 1999 Constitution and international anti-corruption standards.

“Nigerians have the right to know the whereabouts of the ₦18.6bn and details of the contractors that collected the money,” it said, noting that granting the orders sought would “serve legitimate public interests” and strengthen democratic institutions.

Recall that the legal action comes after SERAP had earlier, on October 19, urged both Akpabio and Abbas to explain the alleged missing funds.

Yusuf Oketola

Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.

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