In response to recent news published by Leadership paper, the National Assembly Management has refuted claims of paying senators a holiday largesse. This contradicts Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio’s statement during a Senate session last week.
The parliamentary bureaucracy clarified that the N2 million payment to each senator was, in fact, a statutory running cost allocated for their respective offices. This allocation had been included in the 2023 budget and was not intended for any form of extravagant celebration or vacation, as had been suggested by Senator Godswill Akpabio.
In an official statement signed by Dr. Ali B. Umoru, the Secretary of Research and Information representing the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), it was emphasized that the N2 million payment to senators was not a novel occurrence or special privilege within the legislative body. Rather, it was a legitimate entitlement that found its basis in the Appropriation Law, designated to cover the operational expenses of the senators’ offices.
Dr. Umoru clarified further during his statement, stating, “The Management of the National Assembly is concerned about the ongoing misrepresentation and misunderstanding surrounding the payment of a N2,000,000 allowance to each Senator. It’s important to recognize that this N2 million forms a part of the operational budget for their offices, as outlined in the 2023 budget.”
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