Saraki replies Obasanjo over claims senators are wasteful promising to look into it

SENATE president Senator Bukola Saraki has promised that the National Assembly will look into the recent allegations made by former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo that legislators were spending more than was allocated to them in the national budget.

 

In a letter to Senator Saraki, Chief Obasanjo accused members of the National Assembly of corruption and extravagant wastage of the nation’s resources despite the harsh economic reality confronting the nation. Copied to the speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Yakubu Dogara, the letter specifically alleged that the federal legislators allocated to themselves, salaries and allowances above the template approved by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission for National Assembly members.

 

Chief Obasanjo also accused senators and members of the House of Representatives of receiving huge sums as constituency allowances despite the fact that most of them did not have functional offices in their various senatorial districts and constituencies. He described as wasteful and insensitive a situation where the federal lawmakers demanded a vehicle each as official cars despite the fact that the vehicles had been monetised.

 

“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 had gone into cars, furniture and housing renovation in the past was mind-boggling and these were veritable sources of waste and corruption, which was why they were abolished and bringing them back is inimical to the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians,” Chief Obasanjo wrote.

 

Responding, Senator Saraki said the Senate is already taking steps to address the concerns of accountability and transparency in the upper chamber. He has written back to Chief Obasanjo promising to outline what the senate is doing to address his concerns.

 

Senator Saraki added: “I will want to assure President Obasanjo that the leadership and membership of the eighth Senate are committed to good governance, transparency, accountability, due process and responsiveness to the economic reality of our nation. It is for this reason that the legislative chamber has introduced bold and progressive reforms in the management of the finances of the National Assembly.

 

"This is of even greater importance during a tough fiscal period for our country. Like I said during my closing address at the plenary after our debate on the 2016 budget, the senate must lead by example in terms of our own funding, budgets and accountability, showing, beyond doubt, value for money."