SERAP gives NASS leaders 7 days to investigate N6.3bn constituency fund

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas seven days to refer the allegations of diversion or failure to account for over N6.3 billion constituency project funds to anti-corruption agencies for investigation and possible prosecution.

In a letter dated June 27, 2026, and addressed to the National Assembly, the Deputy Director of SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare, said the organisation will take all necessary legal steps to compel the National Assembly to probe the allegations in the 2022 Annual Report of the Auditor-General of the Federation published on September 9, 2025.

We would appreciate it if the recommended measures were implemented within seven days of receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we hear from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you and the National Assembly to comply with our request in the public interest,” SERAP added.

The organisation called on the leadership of the National Assembly to disclose the names of contractors and companies that allegedly received funds for constituency projects without executing the projects, including the identities of their shareholders and beneficial owners.

“The allegations are against several federal ministries, departments and agencies including Environmental Health Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom; Federal Polytechnic, Udana; National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS),” he added.

The Auditor-General’s report, SERAP said, documented several cases of payments into private bank accounts, contracts awarded without due process, payments for contracts that were allegedly not executed or for services not rendered, undocumented expenditures, inflated contracts, procurement irregularities and failure to account for public funds.

According to the 2022 audited report on pages 367 to 396, the Environmental Health Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON or Council) Abuja paid over ‘N22 million [N22,944,565.16] into the private account of some members of staff of the Council from the Constituency Projects Fund Account. There ‘was no evidence of the utilisation of the funds and no explanations on the purpose for the payment of such amount into the individual accounts,” SERAP stated.

The organisation also alleged that the council gave consultancy contracts worth over N12.03 million in 2021 for the development of modern abattoirs in Kebbi State and the supervision of seven projects in Kebbi, Jigawa and Abuja. However, the report allegedly found no evidence that they were delivered including bills of quantities and engineering designs.

“The money was to ‘produce bills of quantity, architectural design, structural design, mechanical design and electrical designs for the contracts and supervision. But the items could not be traced,” he added.

The Auditor-General also alleged that EHORECON processed questionable constituency project transactions worth over N1.8 billion, SERAP said. “In 2022, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom, allegedly paid over N279.7 million to three contractors for youth and women’s empowerment and vocational training projects in Niger and Plateau states without supporting documentation.
The organisation added that the report also alleged that another N279.7 million was paid as mobilisation fees without documentation, while more than N629.4 million was disbursed to contractors who allegedly did not meet procurement requirements, with no evidence of due process or contract advertisements.

SERAP noted alleged irregularities at the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, Akwa Ibom State, including over N407 million paid as mobilisation fees without supporting documents, more than N399 million allegedly paid to unqualified contractors, contracts inflated by over N192 million, more than N279 million spent on projects that were not fully executed, N50 million allegedly paid for an unexecuted borehole project, and over N83 million disbursed without the required approvals and documentation.

The organization also accused NAPTIP of awarding contracts totaling more than N21.8 million in breach of procurement regulations, paying over N176.8 million for logistics and consultancy services without proper documentation, and allocating more than N94 million for projects that were allegedly never carried out.

The Auditor-General also reported that NILDS did not submit audited financial statements for 2012 to 2022, failed to remit over N15 million as stamp duties and spent N1.6 million without approval of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, according to SERAP.

Corruption in constituency projects deprives poor and vulnerable Nigerians of basic public services and development benefits, and erodes public confidence in government institutions, SERAP argued.

It urged the National Assembly to provide leadership by ensuring accountability in the management of constituency project funds, noting that the allegations if proved would be a breach of the Constitution, Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 and Public Procurement Act 2007, all of which demand transparency, accountability and due process in the use of public funds.