Over 1000 Nigerians, organisations join SERAP to sue National Assembly over N4.68bn ‘welcome package’

Over 1,000 Nigerians have indicated their readiness to join the Socio-Economic Right And Accountability Project in its suit against the planned move by the National Assembly to spend N4.68 billion ‘welcome package’ on newly elected lawmakers.

It was reported that the National Assembly planned to spend the money on four hundred and sixty-nine lawmakers who were elected on the platform of various political parties after their inauguration in June.  

In condemning the move, SERAP said it was illegal for the lawmakers to receive N4.6 billion and vowed to sue the members of the National Assembly to stop the illicit enrichment.

The Rights organisation then asked Nigerians interested in going to court with SERAP to challenge the illegality to sign up.

SERAP wrote, “ We’ll keep saying this: It’s illegal for 469 members of the 9th @nassnigeria to receive N4.68bn as ‘welcome package’.  469 members can’t ‘buy at their own sales.’

“We’ll sue to stop this illicit enrichment from ever happening again, and ensure recovery of public funds.

“ Anyone interested in joining the suit on the N4.68bn ‘welcome package’ received by 469 members of 9th @nassnigeria should please send their full names and state: “I hereby confirm my interest to join the suit to challenge the legality of the N4.68bn ‘welcome package’.”

As of the time of this report over 1,000 Nigerians including non-governmental organisations have indicated interest in joining the suit to stop the welcome package.

The organisations are; EIE Nigeria, PWAN Nigeria, Freedom of Information Counsel Nigeria and Upright Nigeria.

A political party, KOWA, also said it would join in the suit.

Some Nigerians who agreed to partner SERAP in the fight against the proposed welcome package tweeted their readiness in the following posts.

I, Maimuna Okiri Adumo, from River State, Okrika Local Government, hereby confirm my interest to join the suit to challenge the legality of the 4.68bn “welcome package”.received by 469 members on the 9th @nassnigeria

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— Maimuna (@Mera_blaah) May 17, 2019