By David Lawani
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the leadership of the National Assembly to immediately initiate an investigation into the alleged diversion and mismanagement of ₦6.3 billion in constituency project funds, warning that the allegations constitute a major breach of public trust.
SERAP urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to refer the allegations to the appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and possible prosecution, while ensuring that any diverted or unaccounted public funds are recovered and returned to the national treasury.
The demand was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, who also called for the disclosure of the identities of contractors, shareholders and beneficial owners of companies that allegedly received constituency project funds without executing the projects.
The organisation said the allegations are contained in the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2022 Annual Report, published on September 9, 2025, which detailed alleged financial irregularities involving constituency projects executed through several federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
“The allegations that over ₦6.3 billion in constituency project funds may have been diverted suggest a grave violation of public trust, the Nigerian Constitution and international standards,” SERAP said.
According to the group, the report identified alleged cases of payments into private bank accounts, contracts awarded without due process, abandoned and unexecuted projects, inflated contract values, undocumented expenditures and failures to account for public funds across several government agencies.
Among the agencies mentioned in the report are the Environmental Health Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom, the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), and the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
SERAP argued that corruption in constituency projects continues to undermine economic development, weaken public confidence in governance and deny millions of Nigerians access to critical public services.
“Allegations of corruption in the spending of constituency project funds continue to undermine economic development, violate social justice and destroy trust in political institutions, as well as lead to deficient public services,” the organisation stated.
The group gave the National Assembly seven days to initiate action, warning that it would seek judicial intervention should the lawmakers fail to act on its recommendations.
SERAP maintained that the Auditor-General’s findings disclose possible violations of the Constitution, the Public Procurement Act 2007 and the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007, all of which require transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel compliance in the public interest,” the organisation warned.
