19th June, 2015
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce representing Bayelsa East in the red chambers has stated categorically that Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state cannot stop him from giving his money to unpaid civil servants in the state.
Murray-Bruce was responding to Aregbesola’s reaction to his gesture towards the state civil servants. Murray-Bruce had pledged to give half of his wardrobe allowance to unpaid workers in the state and the other half to widows in his constituency.
But Aregbesola, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress found Murray-Bruce’s gesture ridiculous and told him to show such gesture to states where the Peoples Democratic Party had similar problems.
Murray-Bruce did not however take Aregbesola’s response in good stride, noting that, the governor cannot tell him what to do with his funds. “I’ll take whatever attacks come my way but nothing and nobody can dissuade me from doing what my conscience directs in helping my fellow man,” Murray-Bruce wrote on his Twitter account.
To ridicule the governor, he said: “The month of Ramadan is here. Many unpaid workers will fast. With what will they break their fast? I thought of that and it moved me to act”
“I may not be a Muslim, but I respect Islam and I believe that it is wrong for me to respond to any attack during the Holy month of Ramadan.”
He then went on to wish Nigerians a successful fasting period. “I wish the Muslim Ummah a successful fast. Please pray for God’s intervention in Nigeria so that peace may return. Ramadan Kareem!”