Reject Wike’s plan to spend N15bn on VP’s resident, SERAP tells Akpabio

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, to reject the “plan by the Minister of the FCT, Nysom Wike to spend N15bn for the construction of ‘a befitting residence’ for the Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima.”

SERAP urged him to also “assert Senate’s authority and constitutional oversight roles to reject the N2.8bn on publicity for the FCTA and other proposed wasteful and unnecessary spending that may be contained in the 2023 supplementary budget and the 2024 budget proposed by President Bola Tinubu.”

In the letter dated 2nd December 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation added, “The plan to spend N15 billion on ‘a befitting residence’ for the vice president is a fundamental breach of the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international anticorruption and human rights obligations.

“The Senate has the constitutional duties to ensure that Mr Wike’s proposed spending is entirely consistent and compatible with constitutional provisions including his oath of office. All public officials remain subject to the rule of law.”

SERAP also said, “The National Assembly including the Senate has a constitutional responsibility to address the country’s debt crisis, including by rejecting wasteful and unnecessary spending to satisfy the personal comfort and lifestyles of public officials.”