Politics
That Bayelsa Lawmakers’ Pension Bill
One thing that is becoming very outstanding in Nigerian politics is the issue of insatiable lust for money which normally in sane societies will cost some people their jobs in elective offices.
If we take a look at the recent ignoble law passed by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly proposing life pension for members of the House or those who have been legislators since the creation of the state, the move does not only send a cold shiver down the spine but shows that there is sheer greed and accumulated grievances against the working class in the society.
How come that a group of legislators who probably have served for only four or eight years will arrogate to themselves the powers to fix pension for themselves without clearly thinking of the consequence. Are they also implying that those who served as commissioners and special advisers should also have life pensions in the scheme of things?
However, it was a cheering news that the state Governor, Seriake Dickson refused to assent to such a self-serving and anti-people bill. The request for such a law was not only nauseating but leaves a very bad odour in the political atmosphere in the country because, if that law had been signed into law, then, trust Nigerians with their copy-cat approach to issues of individual interest, other legislative assemblies nationwide would have started passing such laws. And even councillors at the local government level will have no alternative than to pass such laws too, making themselves and council chairmen to enjoy similar financial benefits.
When the 1999 Constitution was promulgated into law, it was only the office of the President and Vice President that were covered under this law but sadly, the first set of governors from 1999 to 2003 set a bad example by arm-twisting their legislative houses to pass favourable pension laws for them, and this is the genesis of what we are seeing today.
A House of Assembly is supposed to be a hallowed chamber where people-oriented laws are supposed to be made and it is also a place where problems that affect the people or even an individual can be addressed but today what we are experiencing is that it is a place to address only members’ welfare.
The legislators should note that their office is an elective one, they did not write a letter of application for the job and they don’t have any promotion examination to go to the next grade level. In short, they don’t have a retirement age limit but can re-contest for elections as they deem fit.
Please, someone should tell them that politics should not be left to jobless people or the idle minds but to those who have work experience and have something to do to earn a living before venturing into politics. If this notion of life pension…God forbid comes to stay in Nigeria with such huge sums of money approved, what signal then are we sending to the rest of Nigerians, … every Tom, Dick and Harry that is jobless and without any work experience will struggle either by hook or crook to venture into politics with the aim of contesting for the legislative assembly.
In the First and Second Republics, all the members of the legislative assembly including council chairmen and councillors were not lazy people but had well paid jobs before venturing into politics. The likes of Dr. Nwafor Orizu, the then President of the Senate, Rt. Hon Rosebury Briggs, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the Second Republic was a successful lawyer in private practice for many years before he entered the murky waters of partisan politics.
All these people and their colleagues at no time advocated for free and easy money from government to take care of their youthful and productive age. If we take a careful look at the age bracket of members of most state houses of assembly, we will hardly see anyone that is above 60 years of age which is an indication that those who want to benefit from this largese are people mostly in either their 30s or 40s … what a tragedy.
Again, a cursory look at the productivity level of some members shows that they have not contributed anything meaningful by either initiating bills or intellectually debating issues affecting the state or their constituencies and sometimes even on television, we see some legislators dozing or sleeping while debates on serious matters affecting the society are going on, yet they want pension for life.
For democracy to grow, we need to elect into office people of substance, people with integrity, individuals who by their pedigree have something to offer society in the area of quality law making and selfless service that is worthy of emulation.
Why is it that when we as Nigerians borrow good ideas from foreign climes, our domestication of such ideas leaves a very bad example for future generations? If we say we are practising a presidential democracy modelled after the United States of America, what stops us from imitating the good sides of such democracy rather than making selfish laws that will only benefit us?
Even in America, legislative business cannot be compared to that of Nigeria. There, legislators pay house rent and do not live in staff quarters and are not chauffeured around in official cars but here in Nigeria, despite all the largese that is spread around such offices, they are still not satisfied but yearn for more. I think one of the solutions to such demands for life pension should be a review of the Constitution to make legislative duties part-time so as to make the offices less attractive to people who are not really cut out to serve the public.
It seems that the military interegnum between 1983 to 1999 really did a lot of damage to our psyche as a nation and that is why the quality of legislators the electorate have been sending to the houses of assembly especially in some states have been deteriorating every four years. The vibrancy and maturity we experienced between 1992 to 1993 and 1999 to 2003 are no longer there.
Our houses of assembly should sit up, look beyond members’ individual interest and learn once more to be honourable not just in name but also in their legislative duties. Nigeria or the various states are not an inexhaustible gold mine or crude oil field where free cash can be gotten to cushion the lavish lifestyle of an individual, what we need are people with ideas that can fashion out modalities of how to tackle the myriad of problems bedeviling our society like unemployment.
This is because if we keep quiet with the way things are going, our inactions will later turn to haunt us in future.
For rejecting that obnoxious bill on pension for legislators, the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson has not only saved the people of the state from embarrassment but also people from other states from modern day financial recklessness.
Tonye Ikiroma-Owiye
The lawmaker representing Ipokia/Idiroko Constituency in the Ogun State House of Assembly, Bisi Oyedele, says Nigerian legislature, especially at the state level, has not ceased to be an appendage of the executive because the constitution which guarantees its financial autonomy has not been strictly adhered to.
Hon. Oyedele argued that a legislature that goes cap in hand to the executive cannot perform it functions optimally.
He spoke at a symposium organised by the Forum for Governance Leadership and Value (FGLV) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The symposium with the theme: “Enhancing The Value Of The Legislature In Nigeria’s Democratic Process”, was put together in honour of the Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Adeola Olamilekan, who was decorated as the legislative icon in Nigeria.
“The constitution is clear about legislative autonomy in section 121 of the constitution. It states clearly how legislature should be autonomous, independent. Until when that is done in Nigeria, the legislature will continue to become an appendage of the executive.
“I must tell you that if there’s strict adherence to the dictate of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you will begin to see changes in the operationalities of the houses of assembly.
“That’s very important because when you are not empowered financially, when everything you want to do, you have to raise a memo to the governor, we want this; you’re more like at the service of the governor, of which the constitution doesn’t put us under the governor”, Hon. Oyedele said.
He described the legislature as the bedrock of democracy, saying lawmakers should be the ones speaking for the people.
Delivering the lecture, a university don, Prof. Moshood Omotosho, lamented that corruption and lobbying by powerful political ‘cabals’ are major obstacles to effective lawmaking in Nigeria.
The professor of International Relations at the Obafemi Awolowo University, said despite the challenges, the crucial role of the legislature in stabilizing democratic governance through law-making, oversight promoting good governance, amongst others must not be undermined.
He said, “The legislature’s ability to make effective laws can be affected by factors like political gridlock, corruption, and the influence of special interest groups, i.e., lobbying by powerful political mafia in the state, major power brokers, and political cabals.
“The relationship between the executive and legislature can be strained, leading to conflicts that hinder effective governance due to differing priorities and power struggles,” Prof. Moshood explained.
A Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Ogun State, Morakinyo Akinleye, who represented Senator Adeola, applauded his strides in lawmaking and empowerment of his constituents.
“The legislature is the closest arm of government to the people. Hon. Solomon Adeola should be commended for his understanding of grassroots needs and his effective committee management,” Akinleye stated.
The convener, Bolaji Adeniji, disclosed that the purpose of the symposium was to have a conversation on how the legislature can add value to the society.
The Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso has accused the members of the party that recently defected to the All Progrssives Congress (APC) of betraying the party and the masses that brought them to power.
He spoke at his Bompai residence in Kano State, when he received supporters of Senator Abdulraham Sumaila (Kano South) who recently declined to defect with him (Kawu Sumaila) to the APC.
“Kano South is a lesson. Voters rejected spaghetti, N200 and Atamfa (wrappers) and were patient to vote for the NNPP. But those who won the election on the party’s ticket decided to abandon the masses to join those who do not have the masses at heart but are only after what they will get for themselves and their families” he stated.
“There is no worse political sin than leaving the party that gave you the opportunity and support but later you abandoned the party. This is the highest level of betrayal,” Senator Kwankwaso added.
Senator Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, appreciated the loyal members for “taking the courage to return to their base,” while predicting that all those who betrayed the Kwankwasiyya Movement would regret their political actions sooner or later.
“Fighting Kwankwasiyya is not an easy task, they will not know until when they engage in the fight,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the supporters, Muntari Fararawa, said that they came to his home to inform him of their refusal to join the APC with their senator.
“We thought it wise to return home so as to continue to propagate the ideals of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and the NNPP as well as to contribute our quota to the development of our dear state.
“We hope that we will be accepted back and reintegrated into the Kwankwasiyya Movement and the NNPP to enable us to enjoy the same rights and privileges as other members,” he said.
Business mogul and elder statesman, Prince Arthur Eze, has hailed President Bola Tinubu for his historic visit to Anambra State and the Southeast zone, describing it as a clear message of healing and reconciliation to the Igbo.
The business magnate stated this in a letter he sent to the president, a copy of which was made available to newsmen, upon his return to Nigeria from Venezuela, where he had gone for a business endeavour.
“I have seen the joy and excitement elicited amongst our people by your visit to Anambra State.
“To this end I write to thank you specially for the visit to Anambra and by extension to the Southeast,” Prince Eze wrote.
He noted that the visit has gone a long way in healing the civil war wounds of South Easterners and assured the people that there is hope for proper reconciliation and reintegration.
“Today, it has entered the annals of Nigeria’s chequered history that you are the first President of the country, from the Southwest who has taken this historic initiative to visit the Southeast after the bitter civil war with a clear message of reconciling the Igbo with other parts of the nation.
“Nigerians have not forgotten the bitter civil war and its painful relics with its tribal cleavages and dimensions. This visit by you is therefore a giant leap forward and a clear signal that the wounds of that unfortunate era is healable.
“Your pronouncements during the visit are vivid indications that you are indeed a nationalist and a bridge builder who has risen above tribal dogmatism.
“Your actions by this singular visit has sent a message of hope of complete reintegration and reconciliation to the Igbo race.
“This is monumental and a generational landmark that we would continue to cherish and value,” he said.
Prince Eze also expressed appreciation to the president for appointing Igbo sons and daughters into key positions in his government.
“We are appreciative to the genuine concern you have always shown as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for the cause of the Igbos. You have appointed Igbo sons and daughters to key positions as a mark of recognition for the entire Igbo people of this country.
“You also gave us important ministerial positions which no President before you had done, signaling your appreciation of the people of Southeast extraction.
“I also commend your robust appreciation of the laudable economic and infrastructural development projects accomplished by the Anambra State government under the able leadership of the amiable Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo. Soludo is a genuine and sincere personality, and every Igboman will support him. Be rest assured that he will ensure massive support for you from the Southeast in the 2027 elections”.
While describing President Tinubu as a true nationalist, Prince Eze pledged his support and those of other Igbo for the re-election of the president in 2027.
“I therefore make bold to say that Igbos, wherever they may reside in this country now have very concrete and genuine reasons to support you and work actively for your re-election in 2027 so that you can do more for the Igbos.
“Once again, I thank you immensely, my dear President, Dike Si’mba!” Prince Eze said.
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