Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has written the
National Assembly accusing the lawmakers of corruption, impunity, greed and of
repeatedly breaking the nation’s laws.
In a letter dated January 13 and addressed to the
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, the former president specifically accused the
lawmakers of fixing and earning salaries and allowances far above what the
Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission approved for them.
He also alleged that most of the 109 senators and 369
members of the House of Representatives were receiving constituency allowances
without maintaining constituency offices as the laws required of them.
Mr. Obasanjo was president between 1999 and 2007.
In the letter, exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, the
former president said on a few occasion, both in and out of office as
president, he had agonised over the massive corruption and lawlessness at the
National Assembly and other arms and tiers of government.
He said he had reflected and expressed, outspokenly at
times, his views on the practice in the National Assembly “which detracts from
“distinguishness” and “honourability” 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.”
While referring to the issue of budgets and finances of
the federal legislature, Mr. Obasanjo said the present economic situation that
the country has found itself in is the climax of the steady erosion of good
financial and economic management which grew from bad to worse in the last six
years or so.
According to him, the executive and the legislative arms
of government must accept and share responsibility in this regard and that if
there will be a redress of the situation as early as possible, the two arms
must also bear the responsibility proportionally.
“The two arms ran the affairs of the country unmindful of
the rainy day,” he said. “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.”
The former president argued that the purpose of election
into the Legislative Assembly particularly at the national level was to give
service to the nation and not for the personal service and interest of members
at the expense of the nation which seemed to have been the mentality,
psychology, mindset and practice within the National Assembly since the
beginning of this present democratic dispensation.
He asked pointedly, “Where is patriotism? Where is
commitment? Where is service?”
He stated further, “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.”
Going more specific, Mr. Obasanjo noted that a situation
where our national budget was predicated on $38 per barrel of oil with
estimated two million barrels per day and before the budget was presented, the
price of oil had gone down to $34 per barrel and now hovering around $30 and
the country has no assurance of producing two million barrels and if it could,
it would have no assurance of finding market for it, definitely calls for
caution.
He added that if production and price projected in the
budget stand, the country would have to borrow almost one third of the N6
trillion budget.
He stressed, “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 so. 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.”
Mr. Obasanjo said going by the provisions of the 1999
Constitution, RMAFC is charged with the responsibility of fixing emoluments of
the three arms of government: executive, legislature and judiciary.
He said the Commission did its job but that “by different
disingenuous ways and devices, the legislature had overturned the
recommendation of the Commission and hiked up for themselves that which they
are unwilling to spell out in detail, though they would want to defend it by
force of arm if necessary. What is that?”
The former president added, “Mr. President of the Senate
and Hon. Speaker of the House, you know that your emolument which the
Commission had recommended for you takes 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, distinguishness, 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 who are richer and more
developed than we are.”
Mr. Obasanjo recounted that while in office as president,
he was threatened with impeachment by the members of the National Assembly for
not releasing some money they had appropriated for themselves which were odious
and for which there were no incomes to support.
On the plan by the legislature to buy new cars for its
committees, the former president said it is unnecessary.
According to him, “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.”
Mr. Obasanjo expressed hope that the National Assembly
would reconsider its plan and do what is right not only in making its own
budget transparent but in all matters of financial administration and
management including audit of its accounts by external outside auditor from
1999 to date.
“This, if it is done, will bring a new dawn to democracy
in Nigeria and a new and better image for the National Assembly and it will
surely avoid the Presidency and the National Assembly going into face-off all
the time on budgets and financial matters,” he said.
Below is Mr. Obasanjo’s letter:
January 13, 2016
Distinguished Senator Bukola Saraki,
President of the Senate,
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Senate Chambers,
Abuja.
Honourable Yakubu Dogara,
Speaker, House of Representatives,
National Assembly Complex,
Abuja.
It is appropriate to begin this letter, which I am
sending to all members of the Senate and the House of Representatives through
both of you at this auspicious and critical time, with wishes of Happy New Year
to you all.
On a few occasions in the past, both in and out of office
as the President of Nigeria, I have agonised on certain issues within the arms
of government at the national level and among the tiers of government as well.
Not least, I have reflected and expressed, outspokenly at times, my views on
the practice in the National Assembly which detracts from distinguishness and
honourability 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. I am, of course, referring to the
issue of budgets and finances of the National Assembly.
The present economic situation that the country has found
itself in is the climax of the steady erosion of good financial and economic
management which grew from bad to worse in the last six years or so. The
executive and the legislative arms of government must accept and share
responsibility in this regard. And if there will be a redress of the situation
as early as possible, the two arms must also bear the responsibility
proportionally. 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.
The purpose of election into the Legislative Assembly
particularly at the national level is to give service to the nation and not for
the personal service and interest of members at the expense of the nation which
seemed to have been the mentality, psychology, mindset and practice within the
National Assembly since the beginning of this present democratic dispensation.
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.
Let us be more direct and specific so that action can be
taken where it is urgently necessary. A situation where our national budget was
predicated on $38 per barrel of oil with estimated 2 million barrels per day
and before the budget was presented, the price of oil had gone down to $34 per
barrel and now hovering around $30 and we have no assurance of producing 2
million barrels and if we can, we have no assurance of finding market for it,
definitely calls for caution. If production and price projected in the budget
stand, we would have to borrow almost one third of the 6 trillion naira budget.
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 so. 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.
By our Constitution, the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation
and Fiscal Commission is charged with the responsibility of fixing emoluments
of the three arms of government: executive, legislature and judiciary. The
Commission did its job but by different disingenuous ways and devices, the
legislature had overturned the recommendation of the Commission and hiked up
for themselves that which they are unwilling to spell out in detail, though
they would want to defend it by force of arm if necessary. What is that?
Mr. President of the Senate and Hon. Speaker of the
House, you know that your emolument which the Commission had recommended for
you takes 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,
distinguishness, 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 who are richer and more developed than we are.
The budget is a proposal and only an estimate of income
and expenditure. Where income is inadequate, expenditure will not be made.
While in government, I was threatened with impeachment by the members of the
National Assembly for not releasing some money they had appropriated for
themselves which were odious and for which there were no incomes to support.
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. Where budget proposals are
extremely ambitious like the current budget and revenue sources are so
uncertain, more borrowing may have to be embarked upon, almost up to 50% of the
budget or the budget may be grossly unimplementable and unimplemented. Neither
is a choice as both are bad.
Management of the economy is one of the key
responsibilities of the President as prescribed in the Constitution. He cannot
do so if he does not have his hands on the budget. Management of the economy is
shared responsibility where the Presidency has the lion share of the
responsibility. But if the National Assembly becomes a cog in the wheel, the
executive efforts will not yield much reward or progress. The two have to work
synchronisingly together to provide the impetus and the conducive environment
for the private sector to play its active vanguard role. Management of the
budget is the first step to manage the economy. It will be interesting if the
National Assembly will be honourable enough and begin the process of
transparency, responsibility and realism by publishing its recurrent budgets
for 2016 as it should normally be done.
Hopefully, the National Assembly will take a step back
and do what is right not only in making its own budget transparent but in all
matters of financial administration and management including audit of its
accounts by external outside auditor from 1999 to date. This, if it is done,
will bring a new dawn to democracy in Nigeria and a new and better image for
the National Assembly and it will surely avoid the Presidency and the National
Assembly going into face-off all the time on budgets and financial matters.
While I thank you for your patience and understanding,
please accept, Dear Senate President and Honourable Speaker of the House, the
assurances of my highest consideration.
OLUSEGUN OBASANJO
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