PAUL OMOKUVIE BAUCHI
The member representing Bauchi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Shehu, has said that he has spent over N33 million to buy cows and rams for members of his constituency to mark the Eid-el-fitr.
Shehu, who was elected on the platform of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), disclosed that he distributed the animals to his constituents and his party during the recent Eid-el-fitr.
Speaking with newsmen at his residence on Friday, Shehu, who is popularly known by his traditional title of Wakilin Birni, said that the Chairman and Secretary of his party and the Caretaker Chairman of Bauchi local government area respectively also received one ram each to mark the sallah.
The politician, who defected to PRP from the ruling All Progressives Congress and subsequently secured a landslide victory at the last polls, said his gesture was informed by the high level of poverty and lack of capacity among most members of his constituents. He said: “When I came home for the sallah, I witnessed that most of my people are poor and do not have the capacity to do their sacrifice, that was why I made my own contribution by distributing some animals in constituency and to some officials of my party and local government” The federal lawmaker disclosed that the animals were distributed to the 12 wards in his constituency.
Shehu, who is the Deputy Chairman House Committee on Emergency and Disaster, said: “I explained to my constituents that as a member representing them, I collect allowances of N8.5 million per month including salary, which is about N9 million.
“What I shared to my people when calculated, I spent over N33 million which exceeds what I have been receiving as salary and allowances. “I am dedicating myself to rendering good services to my people that is why I used my personal wealth for them to have something to celebrate their sallah.
“I want to draw the attention of people to know that my representation is going to be different than the ones they have been used to. “There is no reason for me to hide what I have been receiving as salary and allowances.
I will be transparent to them to know how much we have been collecting as constituency allowances. I let them know that the budget captured what is called zonal intervention projects which people used to know as constituency allowances but this government had not been giving such funds but rather create projects which is shared equal by the 36 states including Abuja.
The 12 members of the House of Rep from Bauchi State are collecting N96 million which we shared. It is not money but provision in the budget for projects which members are expected to initiate for their
constituents in their desired areas or share as grants to constituents but will be captured as debts in the budget.
No need to hide anything from them. Let them know what they are getting and out of that they will see what we are bringing to them in terms of projects and if there is no funding, they have the right to know also apart from constituency projects and allowances. All what I will do for my people is based on the 8. 5 million allowances so I
decided to use my personal wealth to make them have a befitting sallah”
