National Assembly stinks –Obasanjo by Fred Itua, Abuja

FORMER president Oluse­gun Obasanjo has accused members of the National Assembly of corruption, im­punity and greed.
Speaking against the backdrop of the National Assembly’s proposal to buy cars for members, Obasanjo the former president also alleged that the lawmak­ers were fond of repeatedly breaking the nation’s laws.
In a January 13 letter addressed to Senate presi­dent, Dr. Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Obasanjo specifi­cally said the lawmakers had been involved in fixing and earning salaries and al­lowances far above what the Revenue Mobilisation Allo­cation and Fiscal Commis­sion (RMAFC) approved for them.
He also alleged in the let­ter that a number of the 109 Senators and 360 members of the House of Representa­tives were receiving constit­uency allowances without maintaining their local of­fices as required by the law.
Obasanjo claimed on few occasions, both in and out of office as president, he had kicked over the massive cor­ruption and lawlessness at the National Assembly and other arms and tiers of gov­ernment.
The Balogun of Owu said he had reflected and expressed, outspokenly at times, his views on the prac­tice in the National Assem­bly because it is shrouded in opaqueness and absolute lack of transparency and could not be regarded as normal, good and decent practice in a democracy that is supposed to be exempla­ry.”
Referring specifically to the issue of budgets and finances of the apex law-making body in the country, Obasanjo said the present economic situation that the country has found itself is the climax of the steady erosion of good financial and economic management which grew from bad to worse in the last six years.
“The recent issue of cars for legislators would fall into the same category. Whatever name it is disguised as, it is unnecessary and insensi­tive. A pool of a few cars for each Chamber will suffice for any committee chair­man or members for any specific duty. The waste that has gone into cars, furniture, housing renovation in the past was mind-boggling and these were veritable sources of waste and corruption. That was why they were abolished. Bringing them back is inimical to the inter­est of Nigeria and Nigerians.
“The way of proposing budget should be for the executive to discuss every detail of the budget, in prep­aration, with different com­mittees and sub-committees of the National Assembly and the National Assembly to discuss its budget with the Ministry of Finance. Then, the budget should be brought together as consoli­dated budget and formally presented to the National Assembly, to be deliber­ated and debated upon and passed into law. It would then be implemented as rev­enues are available.
“The two arms ran the affairs of the country un­mindful of the rainy day. The rainy day is now here. It would not work that the two arms should stand side by side with one arm pull­ing and without the support of the other one for good and efficient management of the economy.
“Where is patriotism? Where is commitment? Where is service? The be­ginning of good governance which is the responsibility of all arms and all the tiers of government is openness and transparency.
“It does not matter what else we try to do, as long as one arm of government shrouds its financial admin­istration and management in opaqueness and practices rife with corruption, only very little, if anything at all, can be achieved in putting Nigeria on the path of sus­tainable and enduring demo­cratic system, development and progress. Governance without transparency will be a mockery of democracy.
“Now, beginning with the reality of the budget, there is need for sober reflection and sacrifice with innova­tion at the level of execu­tive and legislative arms of government. The soberness, the sacrifice and seriousness must be patient and appar­ent.
“It must not be seen and said that those who, as lead­ers, call for sacrifice from the citizenry are living in obscene opulence. It will not only be insensitive but cal­lously also. It would seem that it is becoming a culture that election into the legisla­tive arm of government at the national level in particu­lar is a licence for financial misconduct and that should not be. The National Assem­bly now has a unique oppor­tunity of presenting a new image of itself. It will help to strengthen, deepen, widen and sustain our democracy,” he further wrote.
The former president added: “Mr. President of the Senate and Hon. Speaker of the House, you know that your emoluments which the commission had recom­mended for you take care of all your legitimate require­ments: basic salary, car, housing, staff, constituency allowance.
“Although the constitu­ency allowance is paid to all members of the National Assembly, many of them have no constituency offices which the allowance is part­ly meant to cater for. And, yet, other allowances and payments have been added by the National Assembly for the National Assem­bly members’ emoluments. Surely, strictly speaking, it is unconstitutional.
“There is no valid argu­ment for this except to see it for what it is – law-breaking and impunity by lawmakers. The lawmakers can return to the path of honour, sensitiv­ity and responsibility.
“The National Assembly should have the courage to publish its recurrent budgets for the years 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015. That is what transparency demands.
“With the number of leg­islators not changing, com­parison can be made. Com­parisons in emoluments can also be made with countries like Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and even Malaysia and In­donesia that are richer and more developed than we are…”
Reacting to Obasanjo’s letter, Senate spokesman, Abdullahi Sabi, confirmed that the Red Chamber was in possession of the corre­spondence and said Saraki has promised to formally respond at the appropriate time.
In the House, the leader­ship kept mum on the con­troversial letter. Spokesman of the House, Abdulrazak Saad Namdas, did not re­spond to series of phone calls to him.

Culled from Sun