By Bode Olagoke
Abuja
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an urgent appeal to Professor Philip Alston, United Nation Special Rapporteurs on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights to urgently probe the alleged padding of the 2016 budget with N481 billion, removal of critical projects and replacement of such projects with constituency projects.
SERAP said such act not only undermined the fight against corruption in the country, but also exacerbated extreme poverty and violations of internationally recognised human rights.
In a petition dated July 27, 2016 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organisation stated that “SERAP considers the alleged budget padding, diversion of public funds and abuse of office by the leadership of the House of Representatives as amounting to a deliberate retrogressive action, which cannot be justified by reference to the totality of internationally recognised human rights, and in the context of the obligation to fully use the maximum available resources to fulfil and ensure the enjoyment of those rights.”
The petition copied to Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, also stated:
“We are concerned that the alleged corrupt budget process in the House of Representatives in the context of an economy already weakened by years of large scale corruption will jeopardise sustainable development and hurt ordinary Nigerians who rely on the government to provide basic necessities of life such as water, good roads and electricity.”
The petition read in part: “SERAP is seriously concerned about the lack of transparency and accountability of the National Assembly, which is not consistent with the behaviour of an institution that is constitutionally mandated to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of Nigeria.
“This lack of accountability partly explains why ordinary Nigerians do not trust the National Assembly, and its ability to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of Nigeria, and to curb corruption within its systems”.
SERAP, therefore, urged the Special Rapporteurs to “publicly express concerns about the allegations of budget padding and diversion of public funds and abuse of office by the leadership of the House of Representatives, thereby, exacerbating extreme poverty and violations of human rights.”
