Two Nigerian lawyers, Messrs Monday Ubani and John Nwokwu, have filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking an order compelling members of the House of Representatives and the senators to refund the N10m and N13.5m monthly running costs which they had respectively collected in the last three years.
The N10m and N13.5m monthly running costs which the lawmakers fixed for themselves were illegal, the lawyers argued.
Joined as defendants in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation, the RMAFC, the Senate and the House of Representatives.
In an originating summons filed before the court, the lawyers want the court to determine whether, in view of sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the National Assembly members have the power to fix their salaries, wages, remuneration or allowances.
They also want the court to determine “whether RMAFC can delegate its power to determine the salaries or remuneration of the National Assembly or political office-holders and/or if such power is subject to usurpation by the National Assembly or any other body(ies).”
The lawyers further asked the court to determine whether the allocation of constituency projects and funds to the tune of N200m to members of the National Assembly is not ultra vires, illegal and unconstitutional.
The prayers sought by the plaintiffs include a perpetual injunction “restraining the National Assembly, whether by themselves, officers, agents, privies, servants or through any person or persons howsoever, from further receiving the sum of N13.5m monthly allowances or running cost or whatever sum as a running cost and N200m as annual constituency project.”
And they prayed the court to order the lawmakers to refund all the money running costs they have received since 2015 within 14 days of judgment
No date has been fixed for hearing.
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