The response from the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office addresses statements made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who accused the leadership of the 8th Senate of not adequately funding constituency projects for its members.
In reaction to remarks made by the Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, on Wednesday, Akpabio emphasised that he belongs to the Nigerian Senate, distinguishing it from being solely associated with Saraki.
Akpabio said, “This is the Nigerian Senate. If you say I was part of Saraki’s Senate, it means I was part of those who paid 40 per cent of the constituency project, and 60 per cent has not been paid up till today.”
In a statement released on Thursday by the Head of Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki’s office emphasised that their initial reaction was to overlook the report.
“Dr. Saraki’s perspective is that there are more pressing issues facing the nation and its people, such as hunger and severe hardship, which should demand the full attention of leaders and keep them focused, rather than engaging in trivial exchanges.
“However, the office felt compelled to explain the project funding process to prevent the public from being misguided about the roles of various institutions and individuals.
“For clarification, the Saraki Media Office will want members of the public to note that then President Muhammadu Buhari deliberately refused to approve funds for the constituency projects of members of the Eighth National Assembly obviously to punish the members for questioning some of the loan requests presented by the executive before the legislature.
“Mr. Akpabio, as Senate minority leader for over three years in the four-year tenure of the 8th Senate ought to know better and even his experience as Senate President in the last eight months also ought to have made him more informed.
“Therefore, Mr. Akpabio is very well aware that the leadership of the Eighth Senate cannot be held responsible for failure to fund constituency projects,” it noted
