In the face of the ongoing criticisms, the Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, has clarified that no member of the National Assembly would receive any money from the ₦70 billion budgeted to support their working conditions.
In a statement made available to Africa Today News, New York he explained the fund is for the purchase of furniture and to carry out repairs in lawmakers’ offices.
But he said the Senate was not ready to join issues with those it described as misguided and mischief makers that alleged the ₦70 billion for the National Assembly was a gift from the Executive arm of government.
The Senate also said the passage of the Supplementary Appropriation Act was part of the constitutional duties of the Senate to accommodate funding for the Federal Government’s Palliative for the Nigerian public among other National demands.
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According to the statement, ‘after the passage of the Supplementary Budget to accommodate funding for Federal Government’ Palliative for the Nigerian public, among other urgent national demands, the socio-political space has been inundated with spurious, inaccurate and irreverent misinterpretations.
‘Suffice to say that the passage is part of the absolute constitutional duty of the senate,’ he said.
‘We would therefore, not wish to join issues with the mischief and misrepresentation that a portion of the just passed Amendment Act that appropriated N70 billion naira was a ‘gift’ to the legislators.
‘A visit to the suites, offices and the general structures of the National Assembly Complex would reveal a yawn and the need for exigent attention. Many senators had to bring their chairs, tables and electronics and in many cases, do sundry repairs.
‘The much-debated allocation will not be paid to any legislator. This will be managed by the national assembly bureaucracy. It’s pertinent to also note that the national assembly complex does not house only the legislators.
‘There are thousands of workers and service providers whose working environment needs a face-lift, and/with necessary tools.
‘Since the assembly complex is not owned by legislators who are merely political birds of passage, such allocation cannot be termed by anyone as a palliative to the legislators.
‘The alleged padding of the palliative budget by the national assembly only exists in the minds of those who are all out to discredit the 10th assembly. There is nothing like padding as being alleged in some misinformed media outfits.’
Meanwhile, many Nigerians have continued to lampoon the lawmakers for their lavish lifestyles.