A certified true copy of the Federal High Court judgment became available last week, though the ruling itself was delivered on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. The document only surfaced publicly on June 8, 2026.
In a landmark judgment delivered on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, Justice Yellim Bogoro held that the allocation of N40 billion for the procurement of 465 vehicles for legislators and N70 billion in support allowances for newly elected members breached statutory standards and public trust. The court found that the spending lacked demonstrable due process and failed to comply with competitive bidding requirements or value-for-money assessments.
The suit, marked FHC/L/CS/1606/2023, was instituted in August 2023 by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project SERAP against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, for themselves and on behalf of members of both chambers. SERAP approached the court after reports emerged that lawmakers planned to allocate N40 billion to purchase 465 SUVs at about N305 million each, alongside N70 billion as allowances for new members, at a time Nigerians faced worsening economic hardship.
Justice Bogoro observed that the magnitude of the expenditure, combined with the absence of evidence showing compliance with procurement procedures, rendered the procurement arbitrary, disproportionate and inconsistent with the Public Procurement Act 2007. The judge specifically ruled that the spending violated Section 57(4) of the Public Procurement Act, the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and the oath of office prescribed by the Constitution.
The court also described the arrangement as a clear case of self-dealing and conflict of interest. According to Justice Bogoro, the beneficiaries of the expenditure were the very officials approving it, and the spending conferred direct pecuniary and material benefits on them. She noted that public office must never be used for personal enrichment and that holders of public office are obligated to act in good faith and within constitutional limits.
Given Nigeria’s prevailing economic realities and widespread hardship, the judge said allocating N110 billion for lawmakers’ benefit reflected a failure to prioritise national interest. The court further held that the doctrine of separation of powers could not be invoked to shield unlawful conduct from judicial scrutiny, particularly where constitutional and statutory provisions were allegedly breached.
In addition to voiding the spending, the court directed Akpabio and Abbas to ensure that all future procurements or expenditure of public funds by the National Assembly comply strictly with due process requirements and are guided by transparency, accountability and value-for-money principles. The judge dismissed objections raised by the defendants regarding SERAP’s legal standing and claims that the matter had become academic because the funds had already been spent.
Welcoming the ruling, SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare described the judgment as a significant victory for transparency, accountability and responsible management of public resources.
