Senate President Godswill Akpabio shared during a recent Senate session that the clerk of the National Assembly had distributed a small monetary sum to senators’ individual bank accounts to enhance their holiday experience.
The disclosure was made on August 9 in an online video that captured the conclusion of the Senate’s ministerial screening and the subsequent motion of adjournment.
Akpabio stated, “To ensure that we all have a pleasant holiday period, a modest sum has been transferred to our respective accounts by the National Assembly’s clerk.”
However, shortly afterward, Akpabio appeared to backtrack on his earlier statement, possibly due to a realization of its public impact.
He retracted his previous words, stating, “I take back that statement.”
Attempting to shift the focus, he added, “In a gesture to facilitate your holiday, the Senate President has dispatched prayers to your email inboxes, wishing you a secure journey and safe return.”
The Senate’s screening process concluded with the evaluation of 45 out of the total 48 ministerial nominees submitted by President Bola Tinubu.
As indicated, individuals such as former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Senator Abubakar Danlandi of Taraba State, and former Nexim Bank Managing Director Stella Okotete are still pending screening due to security concerns, according to The Informant247 report.