SERAP sues Okonjo-Iweala over ‘missing N30trn’
A civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has filed legal action against Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, over her refusal to provide information about the allegedly missing N30 trillion from the federation account.
Chukwuma Soludo, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), had alleged that the money was “missing or stolen or unaccounted for, or simply mismanaged” under Okonjo-Iweala’s watch.
On February 2, SERAP issued a 14-day ultimatum to the minister to tell Nigerians the whereabouts of the money or risk legal action.
The government has dismissed Soludo’s allegation on different occasions, but an apparently-dissatisfied SERAP filed a suit at the federal high court Ikoyi on Tuesday.
The originating summons with suit number FHC/L/CS/196/2015 was filed by Olukayode Majekodunmi, a senior attorney of the group.
In the suit, SERAP argued that “a necessary implication of the rule of law is that a public functionary and institution can only act in accordance with law, as to do otherwise may enthrone arbitrariness”.
“Obedience to the rule of law by all citizens but more particularly those who publicly took oath of office to protect and preserve the constitution is a desideratum to good governance,” it said.
“In a democratic society, this is meant to be a norm; it is an apostasy for public official like the minister of finance to ignore the provisions of the law.
“A trustee of public funds has a legal duty to render account on the missing N30tn to the beneficiaries (Nigerians) of the trust, if and when called upon to do so.”
SERAP also argued that Okonjo-Iweala “has so far failed, refused and/or neglected to provide the plaintiff with the details of the information requested”.
“Unless the reliefs sought herein are granted, the defendant will continue to be in breach of the Freedom of Information Act, and other statutory responsibilities. It is in the interest of justice to grant this application as the Defendant have nothing to lose if the application is granted,” it added.
“As a key agency of government, the ministry of finance has a sacred duty to ensure that the country’s resources and wealth is used solely to fulfil the basic economic and social rights of all Nigerians and achieve the country’s overall socioeconomic development.
“This implies providing strong leadership in the efforts to curb public sector corruption, and to refer to appropriate anti-corruption agencies any allegations of corruption in which any agencies of government may be involved or officials of your Ministry may be complicit.”
Just like in the case of the PwC audit report that a former CBN governor erroneously raised, the Minister will surprise and silence all her critics by soon releasing the demanded report and these groups will keep their mouths permanently under lock and key. This much I know. Stay tuned!
Under the cover of human right activism, a lot of these so-called human rights or civil society groups are committing fraud and breaking laws. It can be tolerated when patriotism is involved but in a situation where the primary motivation is strongly selfish and not altruism
If you ask me I will tell you that 99% of the groups claiming to be Civil Societies or NGO are nothing but political agents waiting to milk us dry. They are majour promoter of corruptions. If you look at them carefully you will see that they are just people looking for what to do to keep body and soul together. man must wack!
Just in case the Minister’s critics forgot. This is not the first time they will do their usual best to try and hook her with corruption. In the case of the PwC audit report that a former CBN governor erroneously raised, the Minister will surprise and silence all her critics by soon releasing the demanded report and these groups will keep their mouths permanently under lock and key. This much I know. I can only hope that this group pursue the case as they have started it because the minister will shame them profusely
When will we start behaving like civilized humans in this country? How did this unregistered, partly clandestine group get access to a piece of information that is highly classified public document? We must now know those that are filtering information to the dreaded and monstrous groups like the Boko Haram. If not so long as it is yet to be on government’s White paper, the information remains a classified. SERAP must explain how it got its access to it!
I am yet to see any merit in the supposed case this faceless group of faceless people are going to court with. has our courts become a place for clowns and obvious court jesters?
Whoever is behind this latest agenda against our dear Iweala shall fall like a pack of cards. Whatever they like let them do. We know those behind the action. They have failed in their previous attempts to dent the minister’s hard worn reputation in the past and failed so shall this one.