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Some concerned Nigerians have filed a suit against the payment of over N4.68 billion as ‘welcome package’ to the incoming members of the ninth National Assembly.
In the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos at the weekend, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), BudgIT and Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE), are asking the court to restrain, prevent and stop the National Assembly Service Commission from paying individually and/or collectively, the ‘welcome package’.
The defendants are the senate president, speaker of the House of Representatives, National Assembly Service Commission and the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
The plaintiffs are also seeking an order restraining, preventing and stopping all members of the Senate and the House of Representatives from collecting or demanding N10,132,000:00 and N9,926,062.5 as furniture and accommodation allowance due to each of them until the downward review of the pay and allowances of the lawmakers by the RMAFC.
SERAP, BudgIT and EiE, suing for themselves and on behalf of 1,522 concerned Nigerians, stated: “The RMAFC has failed to do any downward review of salaries and allowances of members of the National Assembly since 2007 in spite of the economic downturn in Nigeria. Yet, the commission is statutorily required to review the pay of the lawmakers, in conformity with the country’s economic realities and to achieve fiscal efficiency.”
The plaintiffs are also seeking, among other reliefs, a declaration that the N10,132,000:00 and N9,926,062.5 allotted to each senator and member of the House of Representatives as furniture and accommodation allowances are in breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers [Fifth Schedule Part 1] of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999; oath of office [Seventh Schedule] of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 and Section 6[1] of the RMAFC Act 2004.
They further seek an order of court compelling the RMAFC to review and reduce the amount prescribed for each senator and member of the House of Representatives as furniture and accommodation allowances in accordance with Section 6[1] of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission Act 2004.
The Arewa youths accused the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and the party’s national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole of gradually working towards the actualisation of their 2023 presidency plan by ensuring that their loyalists are planted at the National Assembly as leaders.
At a press conference in Kaduna, the coordinator of the AYAF, Obadiah Diji, urged Nigerians to resist any attempt by political godfathers to hijack the National Assembly by imposing its leadership.
“While we are not sponsoring or taking sides with any of the aspirants, we are deeply concerned that Nigeria’s ruling party, the presidency and even the opposition may all stand on the wrong side of history with their support for Gbajabiamila as speaker.
“We advocate populist legislative independence in accordance with Section 50 of the nation’s constitution that explicitly spells out the process of electing a senate president and a speaker for the lower house. According to section 50 (1) (b), there shall be a speaker and a deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves.
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