We are dying because we are the poorest lawmakers in the world, Reps spokesman declares
- Benjamin Kalu, the spokesperson for the House of Representatives, has said that federal lawmakers are not as rich as being thought by many Nigerians
- Kalu noted that Nigerian lawmakers' poor status contributes to recent deaths recorded in the 9th National Assembly
- The lawmaker stressed that financial demand from their constituents is another problem they are facing
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Contrary to the clamour about the jumbo pay being collected by the federal lawmakers, the spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has denied the claim.
The Nation reports he maintained that Nigerian lawmakers are one of the poorest legislators in the world.
Legit.ng gathered that Kalu was responding to a question on the status of an investigative report and alleged compromise of the lawmakers.
Source: Twitter
He debunked claims of compromise and blamed COVID-19 for the delays in consideration of the reports.
Kalu added that the lawmakers were falling sick due to pressure from constituents making financial demands.
He said most of the sickness they are passing through is heart attacks, saying that it is due to stress from their constituents.
The report stressed that four senators and three members of the House of Representatives have died from various ailments in the 9th Assembly.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that in a sign of total disrespect to the Nigerian authority, some people engaged in a physical fight at the House of Representatives during a public hearing at Room 028.
It was reported that the public hearing was on the Petroleum Industry Bill and chaired by Mohammed Monguno on Thursday, January 28.
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In another report, following calls by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the sacking of former speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said the lawmaker is yet to join its fold.
The APC, however, denied claims by the PDP that Dogara has defected to the party.
Dogara, who was elected to the House of Representatives at the last general election on the platform of the PDP, reportedly defected to the APC last year.
Also, the Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, reacted to the call for the scrapping of the National Assembly by some notable Nigerians based on the alleged jumbo pay being enjoyed by the federal lawmakers.
The Senate president said the annual budget of the National Assembly (NASS) is less than 1% of the total budget of Nigeria.
The Senate president challenged those who are not comfortable with the senators in the Senate to exercise their rights and vote them out in 2023 at the polls.
Source: Legit.ng
