Fresh Trouble for Senate President Akpabio as New Legal Battle Erupts
- Senate President Godswill Akpabio has landed in fresh trouble over his holiday allowance comment for Senators
- An accountability organisation, SERAP, in a statement on Thursday, announced that it would be filing a suit against the Senate President over the comment
- Akpabio, during a plenary on Wednesday, disclosed that the senators had been sent a token for the enjoyment of their holiday; he withdrew his statement and described it as a prayer
FCT, Abuja - The socio-economic and accountability project (SERAP) has announced that it will file a lawsuit against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over the alleged payment of "holiday allowance" to the lawmakers.
During a plenary session on Wednesday, August 10, Akpabio said enjoyment allowance had been sent to the lawmakers; he withdrew his statement and said "prayers" had been forwarded to them.
Source: Twitter
How Akpabio reveals holiday allowance for senators
The Senate president said:
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"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.”
The comment was greeted with criticism from Nigerians on social media, who argued that the lawmakers are unguardedly sharing money at a time many people are suffering from the high cost of living over the removal of the fuel subsidy caused by the removal of the fuel subsidy.
Why SERAP is charging Akpabio to court
Following the criticism, SERAP, in a tweet on Thursday morning, August 10, announced that it would be suing the Senate President for the comment.
The tweet reads:
"We’re suing the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over the alleged payments of “holiday allowances” by the Clerk of the National Assembly into the “various accounts” of senators while some 137 million poor Nigerians face severe economic hardship."
However, in her reaction to the comment, Ireti Kingibe, the Labour Party representing the FCT constituency in the Red Chamber, said the allowance could be statutory that should be paid.
"It could be statutory": LP Senator reacts to Akpabio's "enjoyment allowance"
Legit.ng earlier reported that Ireti Kingibe, the lone senator representing the FCT, has said she has not received any alert on the purportedly sent allowance for lawmakers' holiday.
The Labour Party senator said this while reacting to the comment by Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, that the lawmakers have been sent enjoyment allowance as they prepare to go on annual recess.
Akpabio had commented on Wednesday during plenary but withdrew his word and described it as a prayer.
Source: Legit.ng
