The Niger State House of Assembly Speaker, Abdulmalik Sarkin Daji, has found himself at the center of a controversy after handing out cash gifts to APC aspirants who lost in the recent elections.
The Speaker gave his personal assistant, Ibrahim Awwal, who lost the bid for a councillorship seat, a whopping ₦7 million in cash. A video of the incident has gone viral, showing the Speaker handing over the cash to Awwal, who knelt before him in appreciation.
The Speaker justified the gift, saying it was to help Awwal start a new life without having to fight over the councillorship seat. However, critics have accused the Speaker of misusing funds and setting a bad precedent. Some have questioned the source of the money, arguing that such cash gifts undermine transparency in governance.
The Speaker’s media consultant, John Adams, has defended the action, saying it was a gesture of empowerment. According to Adams, the money was from the Speaker’s personal funds, not public money.
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Despite the defense, many are still questioning the motives behind the cash gift. Some have argued that it sends the wrong message, rewarding political loyalty instead of competence.
The controversy has sparked a heated debate about the role of money in politics and the need for transparency in governance. Many are calling for greater accountability and a clearer separation between personal and public funds.
The incident has also raised questions about the APC’s stance on corruption and transparency. Some have accused the party of hypocrisy, saying that it preaches transparency but practices something different. The Niger Speaker’s cash gifts to APC aspirants have sparked a national conversation about the need for transparency and accountability in politics.
