The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent Freedom of Information requests to President Muhammadu Buhari and the 36 state governors, urging them to explain how they spend security votes.
SERAP, in the FOI signed by its Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, also canvassed for the establishment of Joint Security Trust Funds between the federal and state governments “as a permanent replacement for the illegal and unconstitutional appropriation of public funds as security votes.”
It stated: “SERAP urges you to open-up on the matter and provide information and documents as requested. This will be one step in the right direction. Unless the information is urgently provided, Nigerians would continue to see the appropriation of public funds as security votes and the institutionalization of this cash in ‘Ghana Must Go bags’ practice as a tool for self-enrichment.
“We would be grateful if the requested information is provided to us within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take all appropriate legal action under the Freedom of Information Act to compel you to comply with our request.”
