Some lawmakers have received N2m ‘holiday token’ - Senator Ningi

Senator Abdul Ningi has confirmed the 'holiday token' announced by the Senate President for the lawmakers.

According to him, some lawmaker have received N2 million as holiday allowance, although he is yet to get his own.

Recall that on Tuesday, August 8, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, was captured on video informing the Senators to expect a “token” to enable them to enjoy their 2-months recess.

Akpabio said moments before the meeting was adjourned; “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.”

This sparked massive reactions from Nigerian as they slam the Senators for distributing monies among themselves while the citizens languish in hardship.

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, Senator Ningi of main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said that some lawmakers have gotten an allowance as earlier announced by Akpabio.

He said; “Nothing has come to my account yet. I heard that some people got N2m but for me, nothing yet. Hopefully [I would get], when they tidy up things.”

He however, called out Akpabio, for his comment saying it is a huge embarrassment to the National Assembly.

“Some of these things, if they happen, you don’t broadcast it the way he did. I think it is a huge embarrassment to the Senate President as a person and to the institution of the National Assembly. The Senate President should have gone further to say what the allowances are for. How did he come about the allowances? Who gave the allowances? Is it part of the remuneration?”

“I don’t know what N2m would do for a holiday. I find it very difficult to understand what this money is for,” he added.