SERAP Requests Court to Halt Procurement of 360 SUVs by Reps

• SERAP seeks a court injunction to prevent the House of Representatives from procuring N57.6 billion worth of SUVs
• SERAP appeals to President Bola Tinubu to pressure the House of Representatives to halt SUV procurement until the court’s decision

The controversy surrounding the House of Representatives’ plan to procure 360 sports utility vehicles (SUVs) has taken a new turn as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has approached the Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking an injunction to prevent the lawmakers from procuring and taking delivery of the cars.

SERAP requests the court to issue an interim order pending the hearing and determination of the applications for an injunction filed by its lawyer. The organization seeks to challenge what it describes as a wasteful and insensitive expenditure.

According to SERAP, it initiated the lawsuit, awaiting assignment to a judge, in response to reports that the lawmakers intend to purchase and take delivery of N57.6 billion worth of SUVs, each priced at N160 million.

In August of this year, SERAP filed a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1606/2023 before the Federal High Court, contesting the legality of the National Assembly’s spending of billions of naira on purchasing exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials.

In an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, signed by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization urged the President to exert pressure on the House of Representatives leadership to halt the procurement of 360 sports utility vehicles (SUVs) until the court hears and decides on the application for an interim injunction.

SERAP argued that allowing the National Assembly to proceed with the purchase and delivery of the SUVs would prejudice the court case outcome and undermine the rule of law. Unless President Tinubu exercises his executive powers as recommended, the lawmakers may proceed to procure and take delivery of the N57.6 billion vehicles, effectively creating a fait accompli in court.

SERAP asserted, “Halting the House of Representatives leadership and members from proceeding with the procurement and delivery of the SUVs until the court hears and decides on the applications for an injunction would be entirely consistent with the principles of the rule of law, judicial independence, integrity, and the public interest.”

The group emphasized that exercising constitutional powers by President Tinubu in this matter would promote the effective administration of justice and maintain the integrity of the claims against the lawmakers.