The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has denounced in the strongest terms the allocation of N10 billion for the rent and furnishing of residences for the presiding officers of the National Assembly in the Federal Capital Territory?s (FCT) 2024 supplementary budget. The association described the allocation as a brazen case of state capture, warning that such profligacy undermines the independence of the legislature and judiciary and threatens the public good.

HURIWA?s condemnation comes in the wake of a recent media investigation revealing that N10 billion was earmarked for Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, and their deputies, Barau Jibrin and Ben Kalu, under the budget item titled ?Renting and Furnishing of Presiding Officers of the National Assembly.? This allocation was included in the N288 billion supplementary budget transmitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the National Assembly in September, which was approved within five days.

HURIWA described the allocation as a calculated attempt by the executive to pocket the legislature and judiciary, thereby consolidating power in ways detrimental to Nigeria?s democracy. ?This is not governance; it is state capture in its most glaring form. Allocating N10 billion for rent and furniture for just four individuals, while millions of Nigerians languish in poverty, is not only insensitive but also reeks of a deliberate strategy to compromise institutional independence,? the association stated.

The association emphasized that the legislature and judiciary should serve as checks and balances on executive power, but such lavish spending fosters dependency and weakens these vital arms of government. ?The profligate allocation is part of a broader pattern of governance where public funds are used to curry favor and silence dissent, rather than address pressing issues facing the people,? HURIWA added.

HURIWA expressed outrage at the timing of the allocation, coming amidst widespread economic hardship fueled by rising inflation, the removal of fuel subsidies, and the devaluation of the naira. The association noted that in the past weeks alone, dozens of Nigerians have died in stampedes while scrambling for food, yet the government prioritizes luxury for a few over the survival of millions.

Comparing the N10 billion allocation to other critical national projects, HURIWA noted that the federal government?s proposed 2025 budget allocated only N11.5 billion for the construction of 20,000 housing units under the Renewed Hope Agenda Housing Scheme. ?While N11.5 billion is set aside for a project benefiting thousands of households, N10 billion is being squandered on rent and furniture for just four individuals. This glaring disparity underscores the insensitivity of those in power to the plight of ordinary Nigerians,? the association stated.

HURIWA also criticized the lack of transparency surrounding the allocation. Despite alleged repeated Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted to the FCT Ministry by investigative journalists, no clarifications have been provided. ?This culture of secrecy is unacceptable in a democracy. Nigerians have a right to know how their funds are being spent and to question expenditures that do not align with the public good,? HURIWA said.

The association questioned why the FCT Ministry is bearing the cost of rent for National Assembly presiding officers when the legislature has its own budget, which has reached a record high of N344 billion in the current fiscal cycle. HURIWA also highlighted the abandoned housing projects for the same officers in the Three-Arms Zone, which remain incomplete over a decade after construction began. ?Instead of wasting N10 billion on rent and furniture, why not use the funds to complete these projects?? the association queried.

HURIWA demanded an immediate review of the allocation, calling on President Tinubu to intervene and redirect the funds to more pressing national needs. The association also urged the National Assembly to reject the allocation and demonstrate its commitment to fiscal responsibility and the welfare of Nigerians.

The association further called for an independent investigation into the recurrent use of public funds for extravagant purposes, particularly under the guise of administrative expenditures. ?The legislature must resist being a willing accomplice in this misuse of public resources. It is time to restore the dignity and independence of our democratic institutions,? HURIWA asserted.

HURIWA reiterated that governance must prioritize the public good over personal comfort and luxury for a select few. ?In a country where millions of citizens lack access to basic amenities, spending N10 billion on rent and furniture for four individuals is a slap in the face of every hardworking Nigerian. This is not just financial recklessness; it is a moral failing of leadership,? the association stated.

The group urged Nigerians to demand greater accountability from their leaders and to continue advocating for a government that prioritizes the needs of its people over political expediency and personal aggrandizement. ?The time to act is now. Our democracy cannot afford to be held hostage by a culture of impunity and waste,? HURIWA concluded.

Update news