Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said many former lawmakers face financial struggles after leaving office, despite the belief that they become wealthy during their time in the National Assembly.
He made this known on Wednesday during a plenary session held in honour of late Senator Caleb Zagi, who represented Kaduna South from 2007 to 2011 and died on June 25 after a brief illness.
Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, who currently represents Kaduna South, initiated the motion to pay tribute to Zagi. During the session, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia South revealed that the late lawmaker reached out to his former colleagues for financial assistance while he was sick.
Abaribe described Zagi as a humble public servant who worked across religious and regional lines. He also shared that he and some others personally contributed to Zagi’s treatment before his passing.
Reacting to this, Akpabio appreciated Abaribe’s gesture and said the situation reflected the reality many ex-senators face. According to him, once a senator leaves office, they often find it hard to handle basic needs, including health care.
He explained that the public perception that lawmakers enjoy lifelong benefits or leave office with large sums is far from the truth. He said many senators make sacrifices during their time in office and are left with little or no support afterwards.
Zagi, who was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had earlier served in the House of Representatives before joining the Senate. The Senate observed a minute of silence in his memory and agreed to send a delegation to sympathize with his family.
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