CHECKPOINTCHARLEY can now reveal that, in the face of economic hardship, “a token” of $10,000 (N90million) was paid to each of the 109 members of the 10th Senate to enable them enjoy their annual vacation, as Senate President Godswill Akpabio said on on Monday during a special plenary session of the screening and confirmation of President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominees.
In a video that has gone viral on the internet, Mr. Akpabio told senators that the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Magaji Tambuwal, had wired money into their individual bank accounts in order to enjoy their annual holiday.
“In order to enable all of us to enjoy our holidays, a token has been sent to our various accounts by the Clerk of the National Assembly…”
This comes amid unprecedented hardship superimposed by a hasty removal of the fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu, without first providing adequate palliatives to cushion the harsh effects the policy triggered.
While those in power are asking the mainstream to make sacrifices for a sunny tomorrow, it appears that the same cannot be said of them. Bear in mind that Tinubu recently sent a total of 49 ministerial nominees to the senate for approval – a historic high at a time government should be cutting down the cost of governance.
Recall also that The Senate and House of Representatives will soon expend over N40 billion to purchase vehicles for lawmakers in the Red and Green Chambers of the National Assembly. While Nigerians, they are serving or supposed to be serving, are now trekking because they can no longer afford transport fares, increased due to the hiked price of fuel.
A former lawmaker, who does not want his name in print, confided in CHECKPOINTCHARLEY that senators are paid a minimum of $10,000 each to enable them enjoy their annual vacation.
“The practice is that each reps member and senator is given $10,000 or its equivalent for their annual vacation, because they are expected to travel abroad.
“However, in view of the present economic realities, I had expected that they would jettison it. Unfortunately, that appears not to have been the case, he said.
The office of the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Magaji Tambuwal, had as at the time of filing this report being unable to dispute this – as inquiries sent to his office were snubbed.
The Senate had adjourned plenary on Monday till September 26, 2023, in order to observe its annual recess.
Meanwhile, activist Timi Frank, in a video on Wednesday asked Akpabio to immediately resign as senate president, slamming his revelation on National TV as a mockery of democracy and Nigerians.
He said it was insensitive for the lawmakers to enjoy national resources in the name of holidaying at a time Nigerians were facing hardships and other economic challenges.
Frank also called on President Bola Tinubu to take action on the statement of the Senate President.
He further asked members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to cut off all communications with the federal government until their demands were met.
He said, “The show of shame that was demonstrated today (Monday) on a live national television where the Senate under Akpabio was telling the whole world and Nigerians that they are going on vacation, and the Clerk of the National Assembly has paid money to every account of the Nigerian Senators.
“This is the biggest joke we’ve seen in recent times, and that is the main reason why I’m making it bold and very clear that Senator God’swill Akpabio must immediately resign as the Senate President. He cannot continue to make mockery of our democracy and make mockery of Nigerians.
“This is the same man who made mockery of the poor, and made it very clear in the Senate chamber by saying ‘Let the poor breathe’. Meanwhile, he was laughing because he knew they will definitely never allow the poor to breathe, they’ll continue to suffocate the poor and that is what he demonstrated today (Monday) on a live TV by sharing the resources that belongs to the poor to their personal accounts.
“Akpabio has shown that since the inception of the Nigerian Senate, this is the most corrupt Senate President ever Nigerians have witnessed.
“I use this opportunity to call on President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to end this joke and Nollywood act of Akpabio, that this is the time he the President must tell Akpabio to resign for this show of shame and national embarrassment, Nigerians can no longer take this in this APC government anymore.
“Nigerians have suffered too much in recent times. We did not vote our Senators to come and take money from the poor to go on vacation.”
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