Nigerians have continued to knock the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio over a statement he made revealing that senators have been sent money to enable them to enjoy their holiday.
In the viral video posted on Wednesday morning, Akpabio was heard saying the National Assembly Clerk has disbursed funds to all senators to enable them to enjoy their holiday.
On Monday, the upper legislative chamber concluded the screening and confirmation of President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial nominees.
Thereafter, the senators adjourned plenary to September 26.
Addressing his colleagues before the adjournment motion was moved, Akpabio said money has been sent by Magaji Tambuwal, clerk of the National Assembly, to the senators to “enjoy” their holidays.
He said, “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.”
Not long after Akpabio made this statement and after deliberating with some of his colleagues, Akpabio withdrew his statement, saying instead “prayers have been sent to mailboxes of respective senators.
“I withdraw that statement. To allow you to enjoy your holiday, the Senate President has sent prayers to your mailboxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.”
As a result therefore, Nigerians have been reacting over the statement, even as many have called for his impeachment.
A group, Arewa Good Governance Initiative has therefore called on the Senate President Godswill Akpabio to resign from his position and apologise to Nigerians over his statement that money had been sent to all senators by the National Assembly to enjoy their annual vacation.
The group in a statement on Wednesday signed by Yakubu Usman, described Akpabio’s revelation on a live national TV as a mockery of democracy, Nigerians and the legislative arm of government, calling on the former Akwa Ibom State Governor to resign his position immediately.
Usman in the statement said: “Akpabio’s utterances is not surprising to us because we all know that a leopard cannot change its spot. We warned Nigerians that Akpabio is an extremely corrupt Nigerian without any atom of shame.
“Akpabio’s statement is coming at a time Nigerians are struggling to eat, petrol is N617 per litre, doctors are on strike, NLC is struggling to go on strike, companies are leaving Nigeria— and when Nigerians are clamouring for cutting down the cost of governance.
“As Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Akpabio performed woefully in the way he administered Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. He allegedly mismanaged the NDDC in the ways he handled its affairs with alleged lack of regards for extant rules even imposing a sole administrator on the entity.
“There were a plethora of accusations of breaches of the time tested and time honoured principles of transparency and accountability which underpin the basis for a constitutional democracy in the 21st century. Akpabio was said to have mismanaged over N250 billion as Akwa Ibom State Governor. We say no to Akpabio and his corruption tendencies. Let him honorably resign as the president of the 10th Senate,” the statement said.
Similarly, Southwest Mandate, a pro-democracy group has reacted to the statement as well.
The group in a statement through its National Coordinator, Prince Jide Olaniyan, urged the 10th Senate to impeach Akpabio with immediate effect, describing Akpabio’s statement as embarrassing and unacceptable.
“This is totally shameful, embarrassing and unacceptable. I am confident that senators would do the needful by immediately impeaching him, because this is not the renewed hope President Bola Ahmed Tinubu promised Nigerians.
“At a time the president is doing his best to fix Nigeria from the rot he inherited, Akpabio cannot be talking about sharing money to senators to go and enjoy. We knew Akpabio’s antecedents, but he has failed the benefit of doubt given to him.
“This is a serious test for the National Assembly. Akpabio should resigned immediately or be impeached by the senators.”
