Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has written the National Assembly
\naccusing the lawmakers of corruption, impunity, greed and of repeatedly
\nbreaking the nation\u2019s laws.<\/p>\n
In a letter dated January 13 and addressed to the President of the Senate,
\nBukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu
\nDogara, the former president specifically accused the lawmakers of fixing
\nand earning salaries and allowances far above what the Revenue
\nMobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission approved for them.<\/p>\n
He also alleged that most of the 109 senators and 369 members of the House
\nof Representatives were receiving constituency allowances without
\nmaintaining constituency offices as the laws required of them.<\/p>\n
Mr. Obasanjo was president between 1999 and 2007.<\/p>\n
In the letter, exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, the former president
\nsaid on a few occasion, both in and out of office as president, he had
\nagonised over the massive corruption and lawlessness at the National
\nAssembly and other arms and tiers of government.<\/p>\n
He said he had reflected and expressed, outspokenly at times, his views on
\nthe practice in the National Assembly \u201cwhich detracts from
\n\u201cdistinguishness\u201d and \u201chonourability\u201d because it is shrouded in opaqueness
\nand absolute lack of transparency and could not be regarded as normal,
\ngood and decent practice in a democracy that is supposed to be exemplary.\u201d<\/p>\n
While referring to the issue of budgets and finances of the federal
\nlegislature, Mr. Obasanjo said the present economic situation that the
\ncountry has found itself in is the climax of the steady erosion of good
\nfinancial and economic management which grew from bad to worse in the last
\nsix years or so.<\/p>\n
According to him, the executive and the legislative arms of government
\nmust accept and share responsibility in this regard and that if there will
\nbe a redress of the situation as early as possible, the two arms must also
\nbear the responsibility proportionally.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe two arms ran the affairs of the country unmindful of the rainy day,\u201d
\nhe said. \u201cThe rainy day is now here. It would not work that the two arms
\nshould stand side by side with one arm pulling and without the support of
\nthe other one for good and efficient management of the economy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The former president argued that the purpose of election into the
\nLegislative Assembly particularly at the national level was to give
\nservice to the nation and not for the personal service and interest of
\nmembers at the expense of the nation which seemed to have been the
\nmentality, psychology, mindset and practice within the National Assembly
\nsince the beginning of this present democratic dispensation.<\/p>\n
He asked pointedly, \u201cWhere is patriotism? Where is commitment? Where is
\nservice?\u201d<\/p>\n
He stated further, \u201cThe beginning of good governance which is the
\nresponsibility of all arms and all the tiers of government is openness and
\ntransparency.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt does not matter what else we try to do, as long as one arm of
\ngovernment shrouds its financial administration and management in
\nopaqueness and practices rife with corruption, only very little, if
\nanything at all, can be achieved in putting Nigeria on the path of
\nsustainable and enduring democratic system, development and progress.
\nGovernance without transparency will be a mockery of democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Going more specific, Mr. Obasanjo noted that a situation where our
\nnational budget was predicated on $38 per barrel of oil with estimated two
\nmillion barrels per day and before the budget was presented, the price of
\noil had gone down to $34 per barrel and now hovering around $30 and the
\ncountry has no assurance of producing two million barrels and if it could,
\nit would have no assurance of finding market for it, definitely calls for
\ncaution.<\/p>\n
He added that if production and price projected in the budget stand, the
\ncountry would have to borrow almost one third of the N6 trillion budget.<\/p>\n
He stressed, \u201cNow beginning with the reality of the budget, there is need
\nfor sober reflection and sacrifice with innovation at the level of
\nexecutive and legislative arms of government. The soberness, the sacrifice
\nand seriousness must be patient and apparent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must not be seen and said that those who, as leaders, call for
\nsacrifice from the citizenry are living in obscene opulence. It will not
\nonly be insensitive but callously so. It would seem that it is becoming a
\nculture that election into the legislative arm of government at the
\nnational level in particular is a licence for financial misconduct and
\nthat should not be.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe National Assembly now has a unique opportunity of presenting a new
\nimage of itself. It will help to strengthen, deepen, widen and sustain our
\ndemocracy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Obasanjo said going by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, RMAFC
\nis charged with the responsibility of fixing emoluments of the three arms
\nof government: executive, legislature and judiciary.<\/p>\n
He said the Commission did its job but that \u201cby different disingenuous
\nways and devices, the legislature had overturned the recommendation of the
\nCommission and hiked up for themselves that which they are unwilling to
\nspell out in detail, though they would want to defend it by force of arm
\nif necessary. What is that?\u201d<\/p>\n
The former president added, \u201cMr. President of the Senate and Hon. Speaker
\nof the House, you know that your emolument which the Commission had
\nrecommended for you takes care of all your legitimate requirements: basic
\nsalary, car, housing, staff, constituency allowance.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough the constituency allowance is paid to all members of the
\nNational Assembly, many of them have no constituency offices which the
\nallowance is partly meant to cater for. And yet other allowances and
\npayments have been added by the National Assembly for the National
\nAssembly members\u2019 emoluments. Surely, strictly speaking, it is
\nunconstitutional.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no valid argument for this except to see it for what it is \u2013
\nlaw-breaking and impunity by lawmakers. The lawmakers can return to the
\npath of honour, distinguishness, sensitivity and responsibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe National Assembly should have the courage to publish its recurrent
\nbudgets for the years 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015. That is what transparency
\ndemands.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the number of legislators not changing, comparison can be made.
\nComparisons in emoluments can also be made with countries like Ghana,
\nKenya, Senegal and even Malaysia and Indonesia who are richer and more
\ndeveloped than we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Obasanjo recounted that while in office as president, he was
\nthreatened with impeachment by the members of the National Assembly for
\nnot releasing some money they had appropriated for themselves which were
\nodious and for which there were no incomes to support.<\/p>\n
On the plan by the legislature to buy new cars for its committees, the
\nformer president said it is unnecessary.<\/p>\n
According to him, \u201cThe recent issue of cars for legislators would fall
\ninto the same category. Whatever name it is disguised as, it is
\nunnecessary and insensitive.<\/p>\n
\u201cA pool of a few cars for each Chamber will suffice for any Committee
\nChairman or members for any specific duty. The waste that has gone into
\ncars, furniture, housing renovation in the past was mind-boggling and
\nthese were veritable sources of waste and corruption. That was why they
\nwere abolished. Bringing them back is inimical to the interest of Nigeria
\nand Nigerians.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr. Obasanjo expressed hope that the National Assembly would reconsider
\nits plan and do what is right not only in making its own budget
\ntransparent but in all matters of financial administration and management
\nincluding audit of its accounts by external outside auditor from 1999 to
\ndate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis, if it is done, will bring a new dawn to democracy in Nigeria and a
\nnew and better image for the National Assembly and it will surely avoid
\nthe Presidency and the National Assembly going into face-off all the time
\non budgets and financial matters,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Courtesy: Premium Times<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has written the National Assembly accusing the lawmakers of corruption, impunity, greed and of repeatedly breaking the nation\u2019s laws. In a letter dated January 13 and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45973,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45972","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n