Group sues governors, Wike ‘over failure to account for N14trn fuel subsidy savings’

Wike

By KEMI KAYODE

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Nigeria’s governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Mr Nyesom Wike “over their failure to account for the spending of the N14trn fuel subsidy savings they collected from Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations, including details of projects executed with the money, and the completion reports on the projects.”

The suit followed reports that the 36 governors and the FCT minister have collected trillions of naira from FAAC allocations as fuel subsidy savings since mid-2023. But the increased allocations have not translated into improved access to quality healthcare and education for poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

In the suit number FHC/L/MSC/1424/2025 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is asking the court to “direct and compel the governors and Mr Wike to disclose the details of the spending of the increased FAAC allocations being savings from the removal of fuel subsidy in May 2023.”

SERAP is also asking the court to “compel the governors and Mr Wike to disclose details and the location of the projects executed, if any, with the increased FAAC allocations from the savings from the removal of fuel subsidy.”

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that, “Nigerians ought to know in what manner public funds including fuel subsidy savings, are spent by the governors and FCT minister.”

According to SERAP, “The constitutional principle of democracy also provides a foundation for Nigerians’ right to know the spending details of the money collected from the savings from the removal of fuel subsidy.”