The Taraba State House of Assembly and the Zing Watch Group have strongly denied reports alleging that the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. John Kizito Bonzena, distributed N1,000 each as Christmas gifts to constituents.
The denial followed widespread social media reports on Wednesday evening claiming that the Speaker gave N1,000 to about 37 constituents who reportedly visited Jalingo at his invitation for Christmas celebrations.
However, in separate press statements issued to journalists on Saturday evening, the House of Assembly and the Zing Watch Group clarified that the N1,000 gesture was not meant for constituents but for children and young ladies residing around the Speaker’s home in Jalingo, in line with his long-standing Christmas tradition.
According to the statements, the Speaker had invited constituents to a Christmas gathering scheduled to hold in his village, Yakoko, in Zing Local Government Area. The situation was allegedly misinterpreted by some constituents who instead traveled to Jalingo, unaware that the Speaker had already moved to Yakoko for the event.
The statements explained that the Speaker’s Personal Assistant informed those who mistakenly came to Jalingo to return to Yakoko, where the official Christmas engagement with constituents was taking place.
“For the record, the Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly did not share N1,000 to his constituents,” the statements said. “The N1,000 Christmas gesture was strictly for children and young ladies around his residence in Jalingo. The constituents who came to Jalingo were informed that the Speaker had already moved to Yakoko for the celebration.”
The statements, signed separately by Ibrahim Bello Kotto, Kenneth Mezeh Joshua, and Saddam C.Y. on behalf of the Zing Watch Group, as well as by the Media Department of the Taraba State House of Assembly, passed a vote of confidence in the Speaker and urged the public to disregard what they described as misleading and mischievous information.
They further disclosed that the Christmas event in Yakoko was attended by key stakeholders, including elders, religious leaders, youth groups, women organizations, and party loyalists, who received various forms of support such as food items, clothing materials, and startup funds for small businesses.
Highlighting the Speaker’s constituency achievements in 2024, the statements listed projects including the construction and furnishing of standard accommodation for corps members, culvert construction, installation of street lights, and tree planting initiatives aimed at combating climate change.
Describing Rt. Hon. Bonzena as a former civil servant of integrity and experience, the groups noted that his leadership at the Taraba State House of Assembly has focused on education, healthcare, infrastructure, peace, unity, and transparency.
They concluded that the Speaker’s actions reflect commitment, compassion, and dedication to public service, urging citizens to verify information before sharing it on social media.
