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 present motions, bills, and petitions in the National Assembly.
The suit followed 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 ₦1 million and ₦3 million to table legislative items.
In a statement on Sunday, SERAP confirmed that it had filed suit number FHC/L/CS/2214/2025 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking an order of mandamus to compel Akpabio and Abbas to refer the allegations to relevant anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution.
The group also wants the court to order the National Assembly leadership to take steps to protect Auyo, whom it described as a whistleblower under the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
According to the suit filed by its lawyers—Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi, and Andrew Nwankwo—SERAP argued that the bribery claims amount to a serious breach of public trust and a violation of lawmakers’ constitutional 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,” the group 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 remarks, SERAP noted that the lawmaker hadsaid, “Sincee 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 ₦3 million, ₦2 million, or ₦1 million to present it, and after that, you must lobby the whole 360 members to accept the bill.”
The organisation maintained that such claims, if proven, undermine Nigeria’s democratic process and erode public trust in governance.
SERAP urged the court to compel the National Assembly leadership to conduct a credible and independent probe into the allegations, stating that such a step would demonstrate a commitment to transparency and restore confidence in the legislature.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.
