Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas for allegedly failing to investigate claims that lawmakers pay up to N3 million to present motions, bills and petitions at the National Assembly.
The suit follows a viral video in which Ibrahim Auyo, a member of the House of Representatives from Jigawa State and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleged that lawmakers pay between N1 million and N3 million to table legislative items.
Filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja as suit number FHC/L/CS/2214/2025, SERAP is seeking an order of mandamus to compel Senator Akpabio and Speaker Abbas to refer the allegations to relevant anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution.
In a statement on Sunday, SERAP also asked the court to direct the National Assembly leadership to protect Mr Auyo as a whistleblower under the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
The suit, filed by SERAP’s lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Andrew Nwankwo, argued that the alleged bribery amounts to a breach of public trust and a violation of lawmakers’ oaths of office.
“Lawmakers should not have to pay bribes to present motions and bills at the National Assembly. Bribery should never influence the exercise of legislative duties or the running of the Assembly,” SERAP stated.
It added that the alleged payments “make a mockery of lawmaking and legislative powers under section 4 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended).”
Quoting Auyo’s comments, SERAP noted that he said, “Since I was elected as a member in 2015, no individual has given me a bill to pass. Even the bills and petitions are paid for. You have to pay from N3 million, N2 million, or N1 million to present it, and after that, you must lobby the whole 360 members to accept the bill.”
SERAP maintained that the allegations, if proven, undermine Nigeria’s democratic process and public confidence in the legislature.
The organisation urged the court to compel the National Assembly leadership to conduct an independent investigation into the claims, saying it would demonstrate a commitment to transparency and accountability.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.
