August 11, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Senate has accused former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, of peddling falsehood against federal lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly.
Speaking while playing host to six members of the House of Representatives, led by Ugochinyere Ikenga, at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta last Friday, Obasanjo alleged that members of the Senate and House of Representatives fixed their salaries independently, without recourse to the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).
He also accused the lawmakers of collecting financial gratification to the sum of N200 million each from the Presidency.
“In your own case, with all due respect, you’re not supposed to fix your salaries. But you decide what you pay yourself, the allowances that you give yourself, newspaper allowances. You give yourself all sorts of things, and you know it is not right. It is immoral.
“You’re doing it, the Senate is doing it, and you beat your chest. In some cases, the executive gives you what you’re not entitled to. You all got N200 million”, he said.
Reacting to the allegations in a statement on Sunday, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, maintained that there was no iota of truth in the former President’s claims; adding that “the Senate receives only the salary allocated constitutionally by the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission.”
Challenging Obasanjo to substantiate his claim, Senator Adaramodu dismissed the allegation of financial patronage from the Presidency, as he clarified that “no Senator has received any monetary patronage from the Presidency. The mischievously touted consistency projects are not for the legislators.”
The statement read in part: “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 Fiscal Allocation Commission. We challenge anyone, who is privileged, either in qualified or absolute position to bring forth any contrary fact. The Senators or the National Assembly do 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 consistency 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.”
