The Senate had announced that in collaboration with some “consultants” of one Global Gold Consult, it would be organizing the one-day sensitization event per zones with a fee for registration
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the African Action Congress (AAC) has condemned the privatization of legislative duties by the Nigerian Senate committee and the contracting of such to Global Gold Consult, which in turn then charged the sum of fifty thousand naira (N50,000) per participant.
The Senate had announced that in collaboration with some “consultants” of one Global Gold Consult, it would be organizing the one-day sensitization event per zones with a fee for registregistration.
AAC, in a statement released by Femi Adeyeye, the party's National Publicity Secretary, however, asked the lawmakers to reverse such a decision.
The statement reads: "The National Working Committee of the African Action Congress (AAC) is in receipt of an invitation for candidates and political party leaders to attend a sensitization workshop on the Electoral Act and other electoral matters.
"The said letter insinuates that the Senate in collaboration with some “consultants” of one Global Gold Consult will be organizing the one-day sensitization event per zones and has attached a fee for registration. We condemn in the strongest terms this privatization of legislative duties by the Senate committee and the contracting of such to Global Gold Consult, which in turn then charged the sum of
fifty thousand naira (N50,000) per participant. We ask that this should be reversed immediately.
"Some of the questions that the Senate committee may have to answer include - If government was actually for the people, why should people pay to be part of government process? Is there no budget already for this legislative function? Should Nigerians be denied the said knowledge, which is the duty of the Senate Committee just because they can’t afford the fee? Will such be fair and just in a supposed democracy?
"Actions like these are part of the processes that eventually breed corrupt political leaders in our society and we are against such.
"Our party, the African Action Congress is not interested in building plutocrats as politicians. If the tea and lunch are the reasons for the fee attached, our candidates who are already mobilized to attend won’t be having those.
"We urge all relevant authorities, especially the Senate to look into this matter, reverse the privatization of their duties and do what is right for the Nigerian people."