The Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, has said lawmakers of the upper legislative chamber are planning to take drastic action against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, for exposing the details of their vacation allowance.
Senator Ndume stated this in an interview with BBC Hausa Service on Saturday while expressing his dissatisfaction with Akpabio’s comment, which he said gave Nigerians the impression that Senators were given a huge amount of money.
Recall that after the screening and confirmation of the ministerial nominees last Monday, the Senate President, before adjourning the plenary that lasted till night, told senators that a token had been sent to their accounts by the Clerk of the National Assembly to enjoy their holidays.
Upon realizing his mistake and being reminded that he was on live TV, Akpabio withdrew his statement, replacing it with prayers sent to your mailbox to enable you to enjoy your holiday.
However, MUK TV gathered that a total of N218 million was shared among the 109 senators, with each receiving N2 million as a vacation allowance.
Senator Ndume, who was Akpabio’s Campaign DG in the build-up to the election of the presiding officers of the 9th National Assembly, confirmed that Senators shared money, but blamed the Senate President for disclosing details of the holiday allowance to the public.
“All senators received two million naira. And I am making this comment with a heavy heart because he (Akpabio) is the cause of this controversy.
“He created an impression as if we were given some special or huge amounts of money. What’s the big deal if I receive a two million naira allowance in my capacity as a senator?”
The Chief Whip, therefore, warned Akpbio against his incessant unguarded statement, disclosing that other senators are planning to take drastic action against the Senate president for exposing details of the vacation allowance.
“He made a very wrong statement, and I warned him immediately that his comments were unbecoming of an elder.
“In fact, we are even planning to take drastic action against him if he continues making unguarded statements and acting as if we are kids,” Ndume said.
