The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has filed a lawsuit against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, over their alleged failure to investigate claims that lawmakers pay up to ₦3 million to sponsor or present bills, motions, and petitions at the National Assembly.
The rights group said the suit followed a viral video in which Ibrahim Auyo, a member of the House of Representatives representing Jigawa State under the All Progressives Congress, alleged that members pay between ₦1 million and ₦3 million to table legislative items.
SERAP disclosed this in a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Sunday.
In the suit number FHC/L/CS/2214/2025 filed last week at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP said it is seeking “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.”
SERAP is 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 is arguing that “the allegations of ‘₦3m Bribe-for-Bills’ at the National Assembly are a grave violation of the 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.
“These allegations of quid pro quo for lawmaking have seriously undermined Nigerians’ democratic rights,” the statement read.
SERAP added, “The allegations that lawmakers are paying up to N3 million as bribes in exchange for presenting motions and bills make a mockery of lawmaking and legislative powers under section 4 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended].”
SERAP also wants the court to direct the National Assembly leadership to take necessary measures to protect Mr Ibrahim Auyo, whom it described as a whistleblower under the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
The suit read further, “Ibrahim Auyo is a whistleblower, who is protected under Article 33 of the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.
