The embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki, suffered yet another Twitter backlash on Sunday after he disclosed that N12m was stolen from a safe in his Ilorin, Kwara State, “administrative office”.
Saraki admitted this on Sunday while reacting to an online media report alleging that N300m had disappeared from his bedroom leading to the arrest of his domestic staff.
The report, which had triggered a widespread controversy on Saturday, said Saraki’s aide and accountant had been arrested in connection with the missing money.
But reacting on the ex-governor’s website (abubakarbukolasaraki.com), the Special Adviser, Media to Saraki, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said the incident was grossly exaggerated, stating that the amount involved was N12m and that it was in local currency.
“The report about a burglary in the Ilorin home of the Senate President contained series of falsehood and, at best, an exaggeration of an incident which happened two weeks ago in which N12 million was stolen by some unknown persons inside the administrative office located next door to the house.
“There is therefore no truth in the claim that the money ran into hundreds of millions, and that it was in foreign currency or that the incident happened in Dr. Saraki’s room. The amount was simply in naira. Also, the money has nothing to do with Kwara State Government,” according to the statement signed by Olaniyonu.
But tweeps took a swipe at the Senate President for keeping such a large amount of cash in his office. Many of his critics described his admission as insensitive, saying his action undermined the cashless transaction campaign of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
A tweeter, Gabriel Oyema, asked, “How could anybody have kept such an amount in an office? What was the money meant for? Is it right to keep such a huge amount in cash when the CBN is implementing different policies to reduce cash transaction?”
Another person tweeting on @Jacob_Gab, said Saraki, by his action, sent a wrong signal to younger Nigerians.
“I really don’t bother about the source of the money. What is important is the impression the action gives about the personality of the Senate President.
“Those who lead should show good examples. This is not good enough for an individual who the younger generation should look up to,” @Jacob_Gab tweeted.
“You mean somebody can keep N12m in cash in an office? What happens to the cashless transaction policy? I am not poor, yet I am not comfortable keeping above N20,000 at home. What could such amount be kept in an office for? ‘Dole-outs’? Does the Senate run a charity bank?” asked another commenter.
But writing on Facebook, another Nigerian, Remi Omolu, dismissed the controversy, saying social media users were fond of making issue out of nothing.
“Does the money belong to the Senate President? If the answer is ‘No’, what is the noise over the loss for? I don’t know of any law that forbids one from keeping money at home or office. Why should people spend their precious time combing the Internet for the slightest reason to vent their frustration on someone?” asked Omolu.
Also, a tweeter, @SaraWalk, said the Senate President needed such amount to settle hundreds of people that turned to him for financial help daily.
“Obviously, those who are criticising Saraki are ignorant of how grassroots politics operates or they are mischievous. They should ask their representatives, local government chairmen or governors what they spend every weekend as ‘dole-outs’. They should also ask them whether such money is distributed in cash or transferred into beneficiaries’ accounts.
“People should ask questions to have a better understanding about political issues. In every constituency or senatorial district, politicians budget for financial assistance on a weekly basis. Sometimes they run out of cash after spending so much and call on their associates for assistance. It is not only Saraki that is doing this,” @SaraWalk tweeted.
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