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The office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives has dismissed reports linking Speaker Abbas Tajudeen to an alleged failure to account for ₦18.6 billion reportedly allocated for the construction of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) headquarters building.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by Musa Krishi, special adviser on media and publicity to the Speaker, the office described the allegation originating from a petition by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) as incorrect and misleading.
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The speaker stressed that he neither supervises nor participates in the award, processing, execution, or payment of contracts within the National Assembly bureaucracy.
He noted that procurement matters fall strictly under the administrative arm of the National Assembly and its agencies, which operate through their own statutory structures and leadership.
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“For the avoidance of doubt, the speaker wishes to state unequivocally that he has no involvement, directly or indirectly, in the award, processing, supervision, or payment of any contract within the National Assembly bureaucracy or any of its agencies.
“Contractual matters within the National Assembly are the exclusive responsibility of the administrative bureaucracy, which operates under its own statutory leadership and procurement structures,” it read.
According to the statement, SERAP itself acknowledged that the NASC headquarters project predates the current leadership of both chambers. The Speaker’s Office, therefore, maintained that attempts to draw the political leadership into a matter purely within the domain of the bureaucracy were “factually incorrect and misleading.”
“It is germane to restate that the political leadership of the National Assembly does not have anything to do with such matters,” the statement read.
The office urged SERAP, journalists, and the public to respect the institutional boundaries governing the National Assembly and avoid attributing administrative or procurement decisions to the Speaker.
SERAP’s earlier claims
SERAP had, in October, issued a seven-day ultimatum to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to account for the alleged disappearance of ₦18.6bn meant for the NASC Office Complex.
In a letter dated 18 October and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation demanded the publication of the name, address, and corporate profile of the construction company that allegedly received the funds. SERAP argued that disclosure was crucial to ensuring transparency in the management of the controversial project.
The group also asked the National Assembly leadership to explain the alleged breach of due process, including the absence of advertising for bids, contract documents, and proper procurement approvals.
When the seven-day ultimatum elapsed without a satisfactory response or, at the very least, public disclosure, SERAP proceeded to file a lawsuit.
On 30 November, SERAP filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2457/2025), naming Messrs Akpabio and Tajudeen as well as NASC as respondents.
The suit seeks a mandamus order compelling the respondents to account for the ₦18.6 billion, disclose the identity and details of the construction company allegedly receiving the funds, and provide procurement documentation, including bid adverts, quotations, contract agreements, minutes of tender-board meetings, and proof of FEC approval.
What the auditor-general’s report revealed
SERAP’s position followed revelations from the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2022 annual report, released on 9 September.
The report raised significant red flags over the handling of the NASC building project, highlighting possible contract inflation, nonexistent procurement records, and violations of financial regulations.
According to the audit, the Commission paid ₦11.6bn on 11 August 2020 to an unnamed construction company for the proposed office complex. The Auditor-General noted that there were no bidding processes, advertisements, or contract agreements to justify the payment.
A further ₦6.9bn was reportedly released to the same unidentified firm on 29 November 2023 for the “conversion of the roof garden to office space.”
The upward review of the work was allegedly done without any authorisation, and no priced Bill of Quantity or needs assessment was presented.
The audit report added that there was no evidence of a Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) “No Objection” certificate or any approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The absence of these documents, it stated, rendered the entire disbursement questionable.
READ ALSO: NASS Roundup: Gun ownership, legal practice reforms, death penalty for kidnappers, other top stories from Senate
The NASC office complex project
The NASC office complex project has been in planning for more than a decade. Conceived to provide a permanent home for the Commission, which oversees recruitment, training, and welfare of National Assembly staff, the project has repeatedly appeared in annual budgets since 2018.
Despite substantial allocations for preparatory works, feasibility studies, and site development, progress has remained largely invisible. To date, there is no publicly verifiable structure on the ground, no clear completion timeline, and no detailed updates from the supervising authorities.
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