By Udesinanna Stephen
The Senate has said that the recently appropriated N70bn for the National Assembly is part of the Senate’s constitutional duty to accommodate funds for Nigerian and other sectors, adding that it will not join issues with anyone.
This was made known in a statement obtained on the verified Twitter handle of the House @NGRSenate.
Recall, the House passed an amendment to the N819.5 billion 2022 supplementary budget, approving N70 billion to house as support for the “working condition” of new lawmakers.
The Senate said those challenging the N70 billion “mischeavously decribed as a ‘gift’ from the Executive arm of government.”
According to the Senate, “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.”
As obtained from the Twitter handle, Senator Adaramodu stressed that “a visit to the Suites, offices and the general structures of the National Assembly complex would reveal a yawning and the need for exigent attention. Many Senators had to bring their chairs, tables and electronics and in many cases, do sundry repairs.
“The so 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.
“We wish to urge fellow compatriots to see the National Assembly as partners in the progress of Nigeria. The National Assembly is the soul of democracy and the 10th Senate shall join hands with other arms of government and our forward looking Nigerians to sing new songs of progress, development, safety and all round economic recovery and growth.”
