Holiday Token: Akpabio’s Announcement Showed Transparency – Unity Congress

A socio-political group under the aegis of Unity Congress, has come to the defence of the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio over the “holidays token” sent to the senators, saying that his announcement was an indication that he (Akpabio) has introduced transparency in legislative business.

Recall that the President of the Senate had announced before the legislators commenced their annual vacation that a token had been sent to them for the holiday.

The announcement has since generated mix reactions from Nigerians who accused the lawmakers especially the President of Senate of being insensitive to the plight of the people.

But the Director General of the Unity Congress, Barrister Essien Ita, has said that Akpabio should be commended for enhancing transparency and not to be vilified.

Barrister Ita in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday, noted that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CPA, declaration on Parliamentary Openness requests that transparency should be a crucial element in building trust between the public and democratic institutions like the National Assembly. 

It further contended  that making Parliamentary information more accessible to citizens provides good governance and best democratic practice.

Essien said parliaments all over the world enjoy  privileges that accrue to Parliamentarians. 

The legal luminary, who said that countries like The Gambia, Seychelles, Australia, Wales, Barbardos, Canada and Singapore all enjoy holiday and travelling allowances, wondered why Akpabio’s pronouncement of holiday allowance to Nigerian Senators should become an issue.

He said, “After all, this privilege was already in place before Senator Akpabio became Senate President.”

He further stated that the Unity Congress applauded the Senate President, “for being openly frank about the vacation allowance and for adhering to the Declaration of Parliamentary Openness as espoused by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association despite protest by members of the upper house and a section of the public who believed that he should have kept mute in the face of the harsh economic situation.”

According to him, “The fact remains that Parliaments in the world receive travel allowances so the Nigerian Senate proceeded for their annual recess with their statutory travel allowance just the way it is done in other democratic climes. 

“The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio only tried to be open and frank and nothing more,” he said.

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