RIDICULOUS? Senator Spent N585,000 on 68 Constituents for burials, others

Senator Gershom Bassey, representing Cross River Southern Senatorial District

The Senator representing the Cross River Southern Senatorial District, Senator Gershom Bassey has spent N585,000 (Five hundred and eighty five thousand naira) on 68 constituents for burial assistance, wedding gifts, aid for medical attention and payment of school fees.

George, a Special Assistant to the Senator who made the claim also said that between 17th to 26th of January, 482 constituents contacted the Senator through the phone number he provided in the billboards he mounted across the seven local government  areas that that make up his Senatorial district.

Explaining further he said that they have received 183 phone calls, 144 sms, 48 wattsapp messages, 35 mails within the short period adding that the units, wards and local government areas of those who have made contact are on hand  and can be confirmed.

It will be recalled that Senator Bassey has come under criticism over allegation that he provided the numbers which many claim are not connecting as an election strategy ahead of 2019 election where he is rumoured to be planning a reelection bid.

But his aide said that the high traffic on the lines may be the reason some calls experience little  delay before going through but that no call has been ignored or neglected.

According to him, “Those lines are functional twenty four hours and if you are on wattapp kindly send a message to these  numbers and see if it won’t go or your message will not be answered.”

He advised that people should be patient if their calls do not go through at first attempt  as someone else may be on the line.

“We have received 35 mails with accompanying requests, CVs and proposals and the Senator is working on them and has also referred some to the state Governor whom he has  discussed some of the issues with and the Governor is on top of the matter on  such issues", he maintained.