Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has threatened to sue the 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, unless they account for over N40 trillion local government allocations since 1999.
SERAP also want the governors and FCT Minister to “disclose details of federal allocations meant for local governments in your state and the FCT and the actual disbursement of the allocations to the LGs since the return of democracy in 1999.”
It also asked them to promptly invite Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate the actual disbursement and spending of federal allocations meant for LGs in your state and the FCT since May 1999.
In a freedom of information requests dated January 27, 2024, by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, to the governors and FCT Minister, the organisation said: “Nigerians have the right to know the details of actual disbursement and spending of federal allocations in your state and the FCT.”
According to SERAP, “States and the FCT should be guided by transparency and accountability principles and proactively publish information pertaining to their actual disbursement and spending of federal allocations meant for local governments.”
READ ALSO: Nigeria has highest number of out-of-school children -Peter Obi
It said: “Opacity in the amounts of federal allocations actually disbursed to LGs in your state has continued to have negative impacts on the fundamental interests of the citizens and the public interest.”
The FoI requests, read, in part: “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter.
“If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel you and your state and the FCT to comply with our requests in the public interest.”
Recall that former president Muhammadu Buhari had in December 2022, said: “If the money from the Federation Account to the state is about N100million, N50million will be sent to the chairman but he will sign that he received N100 million. The chairman will pocket the balance and share it with whoever he wants to share it with.”
