Senate, House of Reps speaks on fixing own salaries

The Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday denied fixing the salaries of their members, contrary to some reports.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently accused Federal lawmakers of unconstitutionally deciding their emoluments at the country’s expense.

But in separate statements yesterday in Abuja, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Adeyemi Adaramodu, and the Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, said neither both chambers of the National Assembly nor its management fixed the salaries of lawmakers.

Adaramodu said: “The Nigerian Senate is petrified by the tattling story of determining its own salaries and receiving a special fiscal package from the Presidency.

“This sordid and telltale assertion was amplified during a visit of a group of House of Representatives members to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“To straighten the records, the Senate receives only the salary allocated constitutionally by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

“We challenge anyone who is privileged, either in qualified or absolute position, to bring forth any contrary fact.

“The senators or the National Assembly does not and cannot fix their salaries. Any suggestions contrary is uncharitable and satanic.

“It’s only an attempt to crucify the legislature by the centurions of political hypocrisy.

“It’s pertinent to inform the unsuspecting public that no senator has received any monetary patronage from the Presidency.

“The mischievously touted constituency projects are not for the legislators. They are only suggested and nominated by the legislators in accordance with the practice in other democracies worldwide while the executive arm awards the contracts to qualified contractors and ensures the implementation of the projects through its respective ministries and agencies.

“And the amount varies, depending on the number of constituencies in each state of the federation. It’s merely a contribution to the Federal budget to ensure that every nook and cranny of Nigeria feels Federal presence.

“We are actually in a season of political pontificating when irreverent scaremongering takes prominence.

“The 10th Senate is a responsible and responsive chamber, hence would not do anything that can harm the economy and growth of Nigeria. It thus receives only what the relevant agency of government constitutionally allocates to it, and would never solicit for extra ludicrous perks from the other arms of government.”

Also, Agbese said the former President was using the past to pass judgment on the present.

“As a parliament, we have strived to maintain the highest level of accountability and transparency in all that we do.

“The very respected former President is reacting because of the things that transpired between him and the National Assembly during his time as President.

“This is no longer the case, as quite a lot has been done by the current leadership of the House of Representatives to deliver purposeful leadership to the Nigerian masses,” he said.

The deputy spokesman explained that the current House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Tajudeen Abass was concerned about the welfare of Nigerians.

“In the 10th House of Representatives, we mean everything we say and do for the Nigerian people.

“The era of narrow interest is over. We are here for our people and their collective interests,” Agbese said.

On the allegation that President Tinubu gave N100 million and N200 million to members of the National Assembly, Agbese said such a thing did not happen.

He said President Tinubu was getting the support of the National Assembly through effective diplomacy and consultation.

Also, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, has urged former President Olusegun Obasanjo to stop giving unsolicited advice to Nigerians, especially on corruption and leadership.

He said the ex-President’s utterances showed that he was grandstanding.

Last week, the former President said most political leaders in Nigeria today are corrupt and should be behind bars.

He said this while hosting some members of the House of Representatives who visited him at his library in Abeokuta, the Ogun State.

But in a statement yesterday, Oba Alao, who is also the Vice Chairman of Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, said: “I align with the elder statesman’s position, but he should also lead by example by submitting himself for incarceration as a leader of this generation of the so-called corrupt people. There is no way he can exclude himself.

“For instance, during his tenure as president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, Chief Obasanjo’s administration spent billions of U.S dollar to fix the country’s power supply challenges. Yet, there is nothing to show for it…

“So, excluding himself from those he described as corrupt leaders is nothing but grandstanding since Chief Obasanjo cannot wash his hands clean of all activities that brought Nigeria to this undesirable state. Doing so will amount to the pot calling the kettle black…”

“Chief Obasanjo should stop parading himself all over the world as a saint when he is one of the leaders that steered the ship of Nigeria since 1976 till date. He is inclusive of the 90 per cent of Nigerian leaders that should be in prison for corruption.

“Let him go and surrender himself before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as an example. Nigerians should be watchful of Chief Obasanjo…”