- The federal High Court orders Senate president Bukola Saraki and speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to account for the spending of N500 billion as running cost for the legislative body between 2006 and 2016
- The order was given following an application filed before the court by a rights group, Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project
- Suspended Senator Ali Ndume is accused of of slapping a House of Assembly member at a political meeting in Maiduguri
The federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered Senate president Bukola Saraki and the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, to disclose the monthly allowances of each member of the two legislative bodies.
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The judge, Justice Rilwan Aikawa, also ordered Sakari and Dogara to account for the spending of N500 billion as running cost for the legislative body between 2006 and 2016.
The Nation reports that the court gave the order on Friday, October 27, when ruling on an application filed by a rights group, Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
NAIJ.com learnt that SERAP had filed two suits against the National Assembly after former chairman of the House of Representatives committee on appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, alleged that federal legislators had pocketed N500 billion as “running cost” out of the N1 trillion provided for in the National Assembly budgets between 2006 and 2016.
In delivering the judgment, the judge, Justice Rilwan Aikawa, ruled that:“I have looked at the papers filed by SERAP and I am satisfied that leave ought to be granted in this case for judicial review and an order of mandamus directing and compelling Saraki and Dogara to account for the spending of the running cost and disclose the monthly income and allowances of each senator and member.”
The court also set Tuesday, December 12, to entertain the hearing of argument on why Saraki and Dogara should not be compelled to publish details of the spending on the running of the National Assembly and the exact monthly income and allowances of each senator and member.
Meanwhile, the suspended senator representing Borno south, Ali Ndume is in fresh trouble as the state House of Assembly on Thursday, October 26, accused him of slapping its member representing Damboa constituency, Bukar Daja-Ali, at a political meeting in Maiduguri.
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NAIJ.com reports that Ndume on Friday, October 27, denied assaulting Bukar Daja-Ali.
A statement signed by the Speaker of Borno state House of Assembly, Abdulkareem Lawal, petitioned the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the matter.
Lawal said the House had adopted a resolution calling on the police to investigate attack on another legislator, Muhammad Saleh-Banga, by hoodlums at Kwayar Kusar Local Government area.
He said the resolution directed the state government to relieve the appointment of Secretary of Kwayar Kusar Local Government Council.
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Source: Naija.ng