The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), on Friday, July 14, declared it would sue the Bola Tinubu-led administration.
According to the civil society organisation, the move is due to the administration’s plan to include N70 billion allocation to the National Assembly as part of its subsidy palliatives.
The Tinubu administration had sought the approval of the federal lawmakers to get N500 billion as subsidy palliatives for Nigerians.
The government plans to compensate 12 million Nigerian households for subsidy removal with N8,000 each.
Interestingly, N70 billion was set aside for the lawmakers, which the administration’s officials did not make public.
“Our new initiatives will tackle rising food costs, enhance agriculture, and boost job creation. No one will be left behind in our efforts to ensure affordable, plentiful food for every Nigerian,” President Tinubu wrote on his Twitter page while announcing the new policy.
SERAP described the new strategy as ‘an unlawful giveaway,’ noting that it would approach the courts to stop the plan.
“We’re suing the Tinubu administration over its unlawful giveaway and allocation of N70 billion to the National Assembly at a time when some 137 million Nigerians are living in extreme poverty exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidy,” the organisation announced on its Twitter page.
Noble Igwe, a fashion blogger, urged Nigerians to ask questions about the money allocated to the lawmakers.
He wrote on Twitter:
“They approved 70 billion for themselves approved N8,000 for you and your family, but they got their influencers talking about Peter Obi all day. They know you are not smart and will ask no questions.”
Sodiq Tade, a Peoples Democratic Party member, says Labour Party lawmakers are complicit and they should have protested against the move.
His words:
“Labour Party lawmakers could have staged a walkout yesterday to protest against the proposed 70 billion naira for the new lawmakers.
“It is even easy for them to protest as many of them didn’t campaign. They rode on Peter Obi’s wave. We were told they are the new major opposition.”
