We Only Got ₦2m – Ndume Berates Akpabio Over Senators’ Holiday Allowance

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Monday, August 14th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, has publicly slammed Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, concerning the ongoing uproar over the holiday allowances granted to senators.

The African Examiner writes that the disagreement concerning the allowances has attracted the attention of the Senate leadership as Ndume expressed his disappointment at the manner Akpabio handled the matter.

Ndume, unhappy with Akpabio’s comments, which he tagged as “unbecoming of a leader” accused Akpabio of inadvertently making it look like the senators were receiving a substantial or special sum of money.

Ndume, while speaking on the matter, made it clear that all senators receive a standardised amount of ₦2 million which is part of their statutory entitlement. According to him, such allowances are comparable to the leave grants commonly provided to employees when they take vacation leave.

Ndume regretted that he had to speak on the issue with a heavy heart because of the needless controversy caused by the senate president’s statements. He maintained that Akpabio should have exercised greater caution while speaking on the matter and this could have prevented the misinterpretation that senators were being favored with exceptional benefits.