The Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development (FENRAD Nigeria), a leading human rights and pro-democracy organisation, has called on elected members of the Abia State House of Assembly to publicly present detailed Constituency Scorecards that clearly outline their legislative stewardship, constituency projects, and utilisation of public resources since assuming office.
FENRAD made the call in the wake of recent public disclosures by the Spokesperson to the Governor of Abia State, which clarified the monthly earnings of lawmakers and principal officers of the Abia State House of Assembly from the state’s commonwealth, including salaries and statutory allowances.
According to the disclosure, members of the Assembly reportedly receive over ₦6 million monthly in allowances, while principal officers receive significantly higher sums, exclusive of constituency project allocations and other intervention funds.
FENRAD noted that these funds are derived from public revenue and are meant to support effective lawmaking, oversight functions, and constituency development. As such, their receipt, the organisation stressed, carries a clear obligation of transparency, accountability, and measurable public service.
The organisation emphasized that in a democratic system, representation goes beyond holding office and must be reflected in legislative output, constituency engagement, development interventions, and visible impact on citizens’ lives. It added that citizens have a legitimate right to demand clear and verifiable records showing how public mandates and resources have been deployed.
FENRAD expressed concern that, despite the scale of public funds allocated to the legislature, there is limited publicly accessible information in several constituencies regarding bills sponsored or co-sponsored, motions and resolutions initiated, oversight activities and committee engagements, constituency projects executed or facilitated, utilisation of constituency project allocations, community interventions, empowerment programmes, social initiatives, and the direct, measurable impacts of these efforts on constituents.
According to the organisation, the absence of comprehensive constituency scorecards undermines democratic accountability, weakens public trust, and restricts citizens’ ability to objectively assess the performance of their representatives.
FENRAD clarified that its call is not an attack on any individual legislator or institution, but a principled, pro-democracy demand aimed at strengthening open governance, improving legislative performance, and preserving accurate public records.
As the 2027 general elections draw closer, the organisation stressed that access to constituency scorecards and stewardship reports is essential to enable voters to make informed choices based on performance, impact, and accountability rather than rhetoric or sentiment. It noted that democracy is strengthened when citizens can evaluate their representatives using facts, records, and verifiable outcomes, adding that public office is a public trust and public funds demand public accountability.
FENRAD therefore urged all members of the Abia State House of Assembly to, within a reasonable and clearly defined timeframe, publish detailed constituency stewardship reports and scorecards for public scrutiny. According to the organisation, such transparency will deepen democratic culture, restore public confidence, and reaffirm the Assembly’s commitment to the people of Abia State.
Signed:
🟢 Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor
Executive Director
Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development
(FENRAD Nigeria)
For Media Enquiries:
FENRAD Nigeria
Tel: 08033383708, 07062949232
