Channel your petition on missing N4.4bn to National Assembly committees,’ Senate replies SERAP

The Senate on Sunday told the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to channels its petition on the allegedly missing N4.4 billion to the Committees on Public Accounts in the two chambers of the National Assembly for necessary action.

The Chairman of Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Ajibola Basiru, who made the call during a chat with journalists in Abuja, however, insisted that the alleged misappropriation occurred during the 8th National Assembly.

The Senate spokesman was reacting to SERAP demand for an investigation into the allegedly missing funds budgeted for the National Assembly.

In a statement signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP claimed that the funds have “either been misappropriated, diverted or stolen.

READ ALSO: SERAP writes Lawan, Gbajabiamila, seeks probe of missing N4.4bn NASS funds

The group said the allegation of the missing money was documented in three audited reports released by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.

It gave the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, a 14 -day ultimatum to address and implement the recommendations contained in the audit reports.

He said: “This clarification is important as the wordings of the petition are capable of misleading the general public that SERAP is talking about the present National Assembly.

“It is not about any malfeasance by the current Assembly and its leadership as it is presently constituted, far from it.”

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