SERAP in a statement issued by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, appealed to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and the Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to bar the President from carrying out such moves.
The group wants the leadership of the National Assembly to urgently review the 2021 appropriation legislation to stop the government of President Muhammadu Buhari from selling public properties to fund the 2021 budget, and to identify areas in the budget to cut; such as salaries and allowances for members of NASS and the Presidency to address the growing level of deficit and borrowing.
SERAP said the National Assembly has a constitutional and oversight responsibility to protect valuable public properties and to ensure responsible budget spending.
It said allowing the government to sell public properties, and to enjoy almost absolute discretion to borrow to fund the 2021 budget would amount to a fundamental breach of constitutional and fiduciary duties.
While warning that selling valuable public properties to fund the 2021 budget would be counter-productive, the group said it would be vulnerable to corruption and mismanagement.
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