As Nigerians are gearing up for the nationwide protest on August 1 Senate President, Godswill Akpabio appears to have added petrol to fire after he said political office holders will continue to enjoy themselves by ‘eating’ from the government while other Nigerians chose to protest.
The controversial Senate president made the remark on Tuesday at a meeting with the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, executive management, Niger Delta ethnic nationalities, and other stakeholders in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
“We are not interested in regime change. Let us own this government. Those who want to protest can protest. But let us be there eating,” Akpabio said yesterday.
Akpabio’s remark has angered not a few Nigerians, and it comes less than 24 hours the 10-day protest declared by pro-democracy groups in the country to demand a better government for the people.
Not a few Nigerians are angry that they are hungry due to the hash policies introduced by the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and convergence of the foreign exchange which have brought untold hardship to many Nigerians.
Amidst the hunger and anger in the country, not a few Nigerians have blamed Akpabio and other government officials for living ostentatious lifestyles using scarce resources, while urging Nigerians to make sacrifice for the country.
For instance, the National Assembly which Akpabio heads as the Chairman have approved bogus salaries and allowance for themselves, apart from acquiring luxurious automobiles worth millions of naira for themselves, which analysts say have increased cost of governance.
The total monthly package of a Nigerian lawmaker in the Senate and House of Representatives is at least N30 million, while the minimum wage is N70,000.
To save cost of governance, not a few Nigerians have called for the scrapping of the Senate, reduction in salary and allowance of government officials among other bet tightening measures
