SERAP urges Akpabio, Abbas to probe alleged diversion of ₦6.3bn constituency funds

Crime Diary, Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas to immediately refer allegations involving the alleged diversion, misapplication and non-accounting of more than ₦6.3 billion in constituency project funds to anti-corruption agencies for investigation and possible prosecution.

The organisation also urged the leadership of the National Assembly to ensure the recovery of any diverted public funds and disclose the identities of contractors and companies that allegedly received constituency project allocations but failed to execute the projects.

In a letter dated June 27, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said the allegations contained in the 2022 Annual Report of the Auditor-General for the Federation published on September 9, 2025, represent a serious breach of public trust and constitutional obligations.

“The allegations that over ₦6.3 billion in constituency project funds may have been diverted suggest a grave violation of the public trust, the Nigerian Constitution and international anti-corruption standards,” the organisation stated.

SERAP argued that corruption in constituency projects continues to undermine economic development, weaken public institutions, erode citizens’ confidence in government and deprive Nigerians of essential public services.

According to the organisation, the National Assembly cannot effectively discharge its constitutional oversight responsibilities without demonstrating zero tolerance for alleged corruption involving projects approved by lawmakers.

It gave the National Assembly seven days to act, warning that it would initiate legal proceedings if no concrete action is taken within the stipulated period.

The group cited numerous findings contained in the Auditor-General’s report involving federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), alleging widespread procurement irregularities, undocumented expenditures, payments into private bank accounts, contract inflation and payments for projects that were either poorly executed or never carried out.

Among the agencies named was the Environmental Health Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), which allegedly paid over ₦22.9 million from constituency project funds into private bank accounts belonging to staff without evidence of how the money was utilised.

The council was also accused of awarding consultancy contracts worth more than ₦12 million for projects whose deliverables could not be verified, contracts exceeding ₦404 million to companies with questionable registration documents, and over ₦656 million for constituency and zonal intervention projects allegedly paid without proper authorisation. Other projects worth hundreds of millions of naira were reportedly either undocumented or never executed.

SERAP also highlighted alleged irregularities involving the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom, where hundreds of millions of naira were reportedly paid to contractors for youth empowerment, vocational training, agricultural support and infrastructure projects without procurement records or supporting documentation.

According to the report, several mobilisation payments were made without verifying Advance Payment Guarantees, while contracts were allegedly awarded to companies lacking the required qualifications and procurement documentation.

The Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, Akwa Ibom State, was similarly cited for alleged procurement breaches involving mobilisation payments, inflated contracts, unexecuted projects and payments to contractors without evidence of due process.

Among the projects flagged were solar installations, youth empowerment programmes, construction works and constituency intervention projects allegedly worth hundreds of millions of naira. The Auditor-General also questioned payments for a solar borehole project at Yauri Town Hall in Kebbi State after reportedly discovering that the borehole had existed for over two decades before the contract was awarded.

The report further alleged that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) awarded contracts without competitive procurement, paid contractors for projects that were never executed and made undocumented payments for logistics, consultancy services and public sensitisation campaigns.

SERAP also drew attention to findings involving the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), which allegedly failed to submit audited financial statements covering a ten-year period, did not remit over ₦15 million in stamp duties collected from contractors and made unauthorised expenditures.

The organisation maintained that the allegations point to possible violations of the Nigerian Constitution, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Public Procurement Act and other anti-corruption laws.

It stressed that corruption in constituency projects disproportionately affects poor and vulnerable Nigerians by diverting resources meant for healthcare, education, infrastructure and other critical public services.

SERAP urged Akpabio and Abbas to demonstrate leadership by ensuring a transparent investigation into all allegations contained in the Auditor-General’s report, recovering any missing funds, prosecuting those found culpable where sufficient evidence exists, and publicly disclosing the identities and beneficial owners of companies that allegedly received constituency project funds without delivering the approved projects.

According to the organisation, strengthening accountability in constituency spending is essential to restoring public confidence in democratic institutions and ensuring that public resources are used for the benefit of Nigerians.