Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has described N70bn palliatives for National Assembly members as despicable and illegal.
The N40 billion set aside for the purchase of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and bulletproof cars for principal officials and members, along with the N70 billion distributed to 306 newly elected members, has caused controversy, with many Nigerians accusing the lawmakers of being insensitive at a time the economy is hurting badly.
In a press release issued on Sunday, Falana drew attention to the flagrant violation of the pertinent provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and demanded that these divisive actions be immediately reversed.
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He said, “Out of sheer insensitivity coupled with impunity, the members of the National Assembly, regardless of political affiliation, conspired to breach the relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 by padding the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2023 to provide the so-called palliative of N70 billion for 306 newly elected members.
“While the masses of Nigeria are groaning under the excruciating economic pains unleashed on them by the ruling class, the National Assembly has awarded N228.7 million to each of the newly elected legislators.
“As if that is not enough, the members of the National Assembly have earmarked N40 billion to purchase 465 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and bulletproof cars for principal officials and members.
“However, the legislators approved the sum of N500 billion for 12 million indigent people in a country where the National Bureau of Statistics has said that “62.9 percent of people (133 million) are multidimensionally poor.”
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He urged the National Assembly’s leadership and members to discontinue the contentious allowances and the purchase of expensive cars.
Over the weekend, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep Benjamin Kalu had clarified that the N70 billion National Assembly NASS Infrastructure was not to be drawn from the N500 billion approved as palliatives to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal in the country.
Kalu made this known, when he alongside Principal Officers of the House spoke to journalists on the heels of the passage of a bill, amending the N819 billion, 2022 supplementary budget to extract N500 billion for palliatives.