Entertainment magnet and Senator-elect for Bayelsa East district, Ben Murray-Bruce over the weekend used his Twitter handle to express his anger over the failure of some state governors to pay workers’ salaries and how lawmakers enrich themselves when the people they represent live in abject poverty.
Noting that he is not going to the Senate for self enrichment as he has much more than he needs, he tweeted that, “I’m going there to serve God by fighting for the good of Nigerians! “Party politics is money politics. I assure Nigerians I’ll fight for the right of Independent Candidates to run for office in all elections.
“When I see anger in youths on Twitter, I’m inspired to make a change at the Senate. Don’t stop being angry until you see results you want! “Constitution allows recall of your Rep/Senator at NASS. Tell them if they don’t support reduction in salary/allowances, you’ll consider it,” he posted using his Twitter handle: @benmurraybruce.
Writing about the governors, the Chairman of Silverbird Group wrote, “The hottest place in hell should be reserved for Governors who live large at public expense while workers with children have not been paid! “While workers in some states, especially Osun and Benue States have been owed for months, their governors reportedly spent hundreds of millions in the past elections. While Governor Gabriel Suswam spent on the senatorial election, Governor Rauf Aregbesola donated towards President-elect Muhammadu Buhari’s success at the polls.
“As far as I’m concerned, until all state workers are paid their salary, no gov, no commissioner, no SA should collect salary or allowance! “Nigerians are tired of politicians that deliver activity but get paid as if they deliver results. Politics isnt a business. It’s a sacrifice. “Let us settle this matter once and for all by agreeing that any budget where recurrent is more than capital expenditure WILL NOT be passed!”
Murray-Bruce went on to decry the level of corruption in the country which has encouraged the coexistence of extreme wealth and extreme poverty, recounting that, “As I flew from Abuja Airport, I wanted to weep at the sheer number of parked Private Jets. Extreme wealth coexisting with extreme poverty!
“If we want EFCC to work, the President must be striped of power to appoint EFCC boss. EFCC Chair should be appointed by the Chief Justice”.
The Senator-elect further advised Nigerians against seeing political parties as the agents of change they desire, stressing that, “These guys breathe in PDP and breathe out APC. NASS must Remove Immunity Clause for real change.
“Why for instance does Nigeria spend tens of billion sponsoring her rich elite to go on pilgrimage. Why can’t they pay out of their pocket?” he asked
