ABUJA — The Grassroots Center for Rights & Civic Orientation (GRACO) has strongly commended a Federal High Court judgement that declared the National Assembly’s N110 billion expenditure on luxury vehicles and personal allowances unlawful. Describing the decision as a “legally sound censure” against financial impunity, the group called for the immediate refund of the funds by lawmakers and administrative sanctions for the officials who approved the spending.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Armsfree Ajanaku, GRACO hailed the verdict delivered by Justice Yellim Bogoro in Lagos as a deeply reasoned interpretation of public procurement laws. The organisation noted that the judgement serves as a timely reminder, just days ahead of Democracy Day on June 12, that public office is for service rather than the insensate acquisition of luxuries while citizens face severe economic hardship.
While praising the Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project (SERAP) for relentlessly pursuing the lawsuit, GRACO expressed hope that the ruling would inspire more civil society organisations to use litigation to challenge wasteful and unapproved public spending at all levels of government.
The group warned that citizens have reached a breaking point regarding official waste and sleaze, asserting that firm civic and legal actions will increasingly be deployed to safeguard collective national resources.
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