Monday November 3, 2025
www.thenewsdesk.ng
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas over their alleged refusal to investigate claims that lawmakers pay as much as ₦3 million to present bills, motions, and petitions in the National Assembly, FirstNews reported.
The group said the legal action followed a viral video in which Ibrahim Auyo, a House of Representatives member from Jigawa State under the All Progressives Congress, alleged that members pay between ₦1 million and ₦3 million to table legislative items.
In a statement issued on Sunday, November 2, SERAP disclosed that the suit, numbered FHC/L/CS/2214/2025, was filed last week at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The organisation is asking the court for “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to refer to appropriate anticorruption agencies for investigation and prosecution the allegations of ‘₦3m Bribe-for-Bills’ at the National Assembly.”
It is also seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to take all necessary measures to protect the whistleblower, Hon. Ibrahim Auyo, who made the allegations of ‘₦3m Bribe-for-Bills’ at the National Assembly.”
In the suit filed by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo, SERAP described the allegations as “a grave violation of public trust and constitutional oath of office by lawmakers.”
“Lawmakers should not have to pay bribes to present motions and bills at the National Assembly.
“Bribery should never have any influence on the exercise of legislative duties or running of the National Assembly,” the group said.
It added, “These allegations of quid pro quo for lawmaking have seriously undermined Nigerians’ democratic rights.”
Citing Auyo’s statement, SERAP noted: “Since I was elected as a member in 2015, no individual has given me a bill to pass. And also, even the bills and petitions are paid for.”
Auyo had also said, “You have to pay from ₦3 million, ₦2 million, or ₦1 million to present it [a bill]. And after you present the bill, you must follow up by lobbying the whole 360 members of the House to accept the bill.”
SERAP argued that Auyo qualifies as a whistleblower under Article 33 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, to which Nigeria is a state party, and called for his protection.
The group maintained that directing Akpabio and Abbas to ensure a transparent and independent investigation would restore public confidence in democratic institutions and reinforce accountability in the legislature.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.
