President Bola Tinubu’s trip to Lagos for the yuletide has stalled the handing over of the N704.91 million generated from the 50% salary cuts of members of the House of Representatives.
A top official of the National Assembly bureaucracy disclose this to LEADERSHIP Sunday on condition of anonymity.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen had at plenary on December 19, 2024 said the House would on December 31 last year present N704.91 million to Tinubu for assistance of vulnerable Nigerians who were worst hit by the removal of petrol subsidy.
The House had on July 18, 2024 adopted an amendment to a motion of urgent public importance proposed by the deputy speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) that lawmakers should contribute 50% of their monthly salaries of N600,000 to assist Nigerians during the challenging times.
Speaking with our correspondent, the National Assembly bureaucrat said; “It is true that the money was put together for onward delivery to the president so that the executive can use it in cushioning the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
“But we all know that President Tinubu traveled to Lagos for the yuletide from December 18 where he stayed for three weeks before he returned to Abuja. Since then, the National Assembly which the House is part of is engrossed in budget defence.”
The House spokesman, Hon. Akin Rotimi and his deputy, Hon. Agbese, were yet to respond to LEADERSHIP’s enquiries on the matter at the time of filing this report.