The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Also joined in the suit were the 36 state governors over over their failure to account for, and publish the agreements of the N5.9 trillion and $4.6 billion loans obtained by their states and the FCT, respectively.
Disclosing this in a statement on Sunday, SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said the group asked the court to “direct and compel the governors and Mr. Wike to account for N5.9trn and $4.6bn loans obtained by their states and the FCT and to publish copies of the loan agreements, location of projects executed with the loans.”
According to the statement, the suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/592/2024 was filed on Friday on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers – Kolawole Oluwadare, Kehinde Oyewumi and Valentina Adegoke in the nation’s capital.
The suit followed SERAP’s demand which was addressed to the 37 respondents in a statement issued on March 31, 2024, after Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, had bemoaned the huge debt inherited from his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai, last year.
Based on the statement, the group wants the court to “direct and compel the governors and Mr. Wike to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate the spending of all the loans obtained to date by their states and the FCT.”
“Opacity in the spending of the loans obtained by the governors and Mr. Wike would continue to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens.”
SERAP demanded transparency in the spending of the loans as they are “fundamental to increase accountability, prevent corruption, and build trust in democratic institutions with the ultimate aim of strengthening the rule of law.”
