By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
There was public outcry on Wednesday among women and youths from Zing Local Government Area of Taraba State following an alleged Christmas gift of N1,000 each shared by the Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Hon. John Kizito Bonzena.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that women aged between 45 and 50 years, alongside over 30 youths, were seen around the Catholic Pastoral Centre in Jalingo at about 4:00 pm, seeking assistance from passers-by after allegedly being stranded.
Our correspondent gathered that the affected individuals were invited to Jalingo by the Speaker for a Christmas gift but were allegedly given N1,000 each, an amount they said was insufficient for their return transport to their various villages.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke to journalists, said that 37 persons from different wards in Zing LGA were invited by the Speaker to his residence in Jalingo for the Christmas event.
According to the constituents, Mrs. Sochaja Luka, Mr. Bivoro Benjamin, and Mr. Kpanti Jelanson, the Speaker sent an official invitation requesting them to travel from their communities to Jalingo.
“We selected 37 people across the wards in Zing Local Government and transported ourselves to Jalingo. Transport fare from Yakoko to Jalingo is N3,500, while from Zing town to Jalingo is N2,500,” they alleged.
They further claimed that they arrived at the Speaker’s residence at about noon and waited for several hours before he appeared.
“While waiting, we were served local snacks (chinchin) and bottled water. The Speaker eventually came out after about three hours,” they said.
The constituents further alleged that during the meeting, the Speaker urged them to mobilise support for Governor Agbu Kefas’ 2027 governorship bid.
“After that, he brought out a bundle of N500 notes and shared N1,000 to each of us. He then returned the remaining money to his pocket,” they alleged.
The group said they were left stranded without transport fare to return to Zing.
“We are desperate and don’t know how to return home. We are looking for help and even trying to get the contacts of Prof. Jerome Nyame and Dr. Anthony Manzo to assist us with transport,” they said.
Expressing disappointment, the constituents called on Governor Agbu Kefas and traditional authorities in Zing to investigate the alleged action of the Speaker.
“We don’t know what we have done wrong to deserve this treatment, especially during Christmas,” they lamented.
Efforts to reach Hon. John Kizito Bonzena for his reaction proved unsuccessful, as he neither answered calls nor responded to text messages sent by journalists as of the time of filing this report.
