The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to refer allegations of bribery in the National Assembly to anti-graft agencies.
The call follows claims by Ibrahim Auyo, a member of the House of Representatives from Jigawa, that some of his colleagues allegedly received bribes in exchange for supporting certain bills.
In a statement on Sunday, SERAP said the allegations strike at the heart of Nigeria’s democracy and must not be swept under the carpet.
“Referring these allegations to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would show that the leadership of the National Assembly is committed to transparency and accountability,” the group stated.
SERAP warned that failure to act could further damage public trust in parliament.
“The National Assembly cannot afford to look the other way when such serious claims have been made by one of its own members,” the statement added.
