The Senate and House of Representatives variously denied the alleged disbursement of N100 million to each of the lawmakers.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, denied the allegation in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
He described a statement credited to the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), which alleged that the sum was paid to the lawmakers, as strange, ludicrous and unthinkable.
”What do these negative characters want to gain from their lies and falsehood against the National Assembly? This is strange to us, very ludicrous and unthinkable.
“There is no N100million for a legislator anywhere, from which budget is this coming from?
“How, where and when? this is another satanic ploy of a miserable gang of media and political dark angels, to bring the Nigerian parliament into disrepute and pitch the legislators against the Nigerian public.
“We believe that the public is aware that popular democracy is an anathema to some unpatriotic political mercenaries, hence their systemic blackmail of the parliament, which undoubtedly is the soul of democracy and sovereignty,” Adaramodu said.
He urged the public and especially, the Nigerian workers, to disregard the allegation.
The Senator added, “The National Assembly shall not hesitate, henceforth to take constitutional and legal actions against irreverent merchants of rumours and ill wills against legislators.
“The national assembly should not be taken as a political scapegoat.
“We don’t expect anything less from the NLC leadership, we only opined that they will place national interest above partisan nihilistic outbursts.
“If the Congress wishes to serve as the conscience of Nigerian workers, it must purge itself of political comments that can truncate our democracy.
“We believe that Nigerians see this new unscrupulous advocacy as a comedy to entertain only the unsuspecting.”
Also, the House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected the claim that lawmakers got N100 million each as palliatives from the Federal Government.
Reps spokesman Akin Rotimi, in a statement, described a claim by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Assistant General Secretary, Christopher Onyeka, as baseless.
Onyeka alleged that each lawmaker raked in the palliative sum from the government.
“The House of Representatives demands an immediate retraction of this lie and a public apology from the Nigeria Labour Congress. The NLC as a critical stakeholder in the development of Nigeria has a voice and it risks delegitimising that voice if it is found to include fables in its legitimate agitations,” the statement read.
“Transparency and truth in public discourse are necessary for a functioning democracy. While we doubt that Mr. Onyeka was actually conveying the official position of the NLC on this claim, it is nonetheless important to correct such misinformation.
“First, we state categorically that Mr. Onyeka lied in his claim that National Assembly members were given N100m as palliatives. For the avoidance of doubt, at no time did Members of the House of Representatives receive any money from the Executive arm as palliatives. We, therefore, consider this statement as malicious, irresponsible and in bad faith.
“We consider it irresponsible and most unfortunate that Mr. Onyeka would misrepresent facts in a bid to lend credence to otherwise valid demands of the NLC, while seeking to denigrate the National Assembly, and inciting the public against the institution.
“Accordingly, the House of Representatives demands an immediate retraction of this lie and a public apology from the Nigeria Labour Congress. The NLC as a critical stakeholder in the development of Nigeria has a voice and it risks delegitimising that voice if it is found to include fables in its legitimate agitations.
“Second, we wish to remind the NLC and indeed all Nigerians that in less than 100 days in the tenure of the 10th Assembly, we have demonstrated our commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers and all Nigerians.”
