Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project (SERAP), has filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court in Lagos to stop the Senate President Bukola Saraki from paying former Plateau State governor, Senator Joshua Dariye N14.2 million monthly allowances while he serves out a 10-year prison sentence for corruption. Because such payment violates Nigerian law and international obligations. The made this known through there twitter handling.
Mr Dariye is still receiving the N750,000 salary and N13.5 million monthly allowances from the Nigeran Senate six months after his conviction in June. An FCT high court convicted Dariye for diverting N1.162 billion state ecological funds while he was governor. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison, which was later reduced to 10 years by a court of appeal in Abuja. Dariye is said to have been paid N85.5 million as allowances since his conviction.
The accused Bukola Saraki and the National Assembly Service Commission for trying to override Nigerian law and the judgment of our court by continuing to pay Mr Dariye’s allowances while he serves out a 10-year prison term and unable to sit and perform the functions of a senator. This action undermines the rule of law and is a great moral failure because it sends a message that corruption pays - it’s the opposite of Nigerian Constitutional principles and international obligations.
Bukola Saraki and the National Assembly Service Commission should be immediately restrained from unlawfully paying salaries and allowances to Mr Dariye who is serving jail term. Restraining them would send a clear message to Nigerian elected officials that corruption does not pay and contribute to promoting accountability and fostering public trust and confidence in Nigeria’s democracy, the rule of law and the governance system.
Bukola Saraki and the National Assembly Service Commission shouldn't be allowed to continue to make a mockery of the rule of law, our process of administration of justice & judicial system by behaving as if National Assembly isn't bound by the court judgment.
SERAP is also seeking an order compelling Mr Dariye to return all salaries and allowances paid to him as a senator while in prison, having not performed the functions and office of a sitting and serving senator and having not deservedly earned such.
SERAP is also seeking a declaration that the seat of Mr Dariye in the Senate is automatically deemed vacant, having being convicted and sentenced to a prison term and currently serving jail term in Kuje prison Abuja. And having been absent at the sessions of the Senate for a period amounting in the aggregate to more than one-third of the total number of days allowed, and that he is therefore, not entitled to any allowances reserved for a sitting and serving senator.
No comments:
Post a Comment