Most members of Borno state House of Assembly are said to be presently leaving far above their legitimate earnings as the over N30 million is allegedly withdrawn monthly from Local government funds to service the 28 lawmakers.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the assembly members are collecting between N1million and N5 Million every month as largesse purportedly withdrawn shortly after every management meeting of funds meant for local government councils.
The monies which is said to be shared amongst the legislators base on seniority; where principal officers such a the Speaker getting between N4 and N5 Million monthly, the deputy speaker, Majority Leader as well as other principal officers pockets between N3 and N2 Million while the floor members are left with a million naira each.
One of the state legislators who is opposed to the dirty deals of his colleagues said the local government councils are at the receiving end as “there are no enough funds for the Care – Taker Committee Chairmen to run their councils”
” Honestly this is very shameful and unpatriotic act of members of Borno State House of Assembly, how can local government Councils perform when illegal deductions are made from their funds. I don’t think these deductions are necessary because the state government always settle our salaries and allowances which are appropriated for.” The Lawmaker said.
Sources said the state governor; Kashim Shettima had to bow to pressure from the extravagant legislatures to allow for the Illegal deductions to be effected.
More so, about eight Legislators including the Speaker, Hon Abudulkareem Lawan are presently in cooling off in South Africa and taking the opportunity to partake amongst the supporters club to cheer the super eagles to victory at the on going African Nations Cup.
The state governor who is not in any way ready to lurk horns with the legislators over issues that concerns their welfare allegedly approved the jamboree trip. The Lawmakers are said to be feeding fat on the simplicity of the governor who has already commence his second term campaign.
However, some sources say the governor along side some legislators are no longer comfortable with the poor leadership qualities of the speaker who they say can hardly express himself “not to talk of presiding over the activities of the House”
” I thin Speaker Abdulkareem Lawan is getting close to his bus stop, he may soon be impeached and replaced by former Speaker Goni Ali Modu or some else.” Said another Lawmaker
” In the first instance we were not prepared to Impeach our former Speaker; Modu, but he could not apologise to us over some misunderstanding and we threatened to impeach him with the hope that the state governor and other forces outside the state will plead on his behalf, but nothing was forth coming, then we Impeach him because we don’t want to be seen as weaklings” the Lawmaker told pointblanknews.com
For now, information are ripe that some members have commence underground Impeachment campaign that will see Hon Lawan back to his former status as a floor member of Borno State House of Assembly.