The Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Rep. Philip Agbese, on Sunday tackled former President Olusegun Obasanjo over claims that lawmakers fix their salaries and allowances and also collect money from the executive.
Agbese, who described the allegations as spurious, said the 10th House of Reps is different from what was obtained during the Obasanjo’s era.
The deputy spokesperson was reacting to Obasanjo’s comment, claiming that it was “immoral” for the House to determine its salaries and allowances.
Obasanjo had said, “You are not supposed to fix your salaries or allowances; it is supposed to be done by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Responsibility Commission.
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“With all due respect, you know it’s not right; it is not right for me to be the one to determine what I pay myself; it is immoral, and you are doing it; the Senate is doing it.”
Agbese, however, said that “the former president is always right and wrong because the 10th House of Reps is totally different from his era.”
He said Obasanjo was using the past to pass judgment on the present, adding that this was totally wrong and unfounded.
According to him, “as a parliament, we have strived to maintain the highest level of accountability and transparency in all that we do under Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
“I am bold to say that the very respected former president is right and wrong because of the things that transpired between him and the National Assembly during his time as president.
“Stories abound that he was helpless. This is no longer the case, as quite a lot has been done by the current crop of representatives to deliver to the poor masses.”
He said no one could be more “sanctimonious” about the welfare of the people than the current speaker of the House of Representatives.
He said, under Abbas leadership, “We mean what we say and everything that we do as a parliament. The era of narrow interest is over. We are here for our people and their collective interests.
On the N100 million and N200 million allegedly given to members of the National Assembly, Agbese said no such thing happened under the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu.
He said that Tinubu’s tenure is totally different from all past presidents in so many ways, adding that the president is getting their support out of “sheer diplomacy and consultation.”
According to him, “Tinubu is a product of partnership and collaboration. I think Obasanjo should focus more on the traditional media and stop patronising social media hoaxes.
“We know what Tinubu wants for Nigeria, and supporting the President to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda is the best for the country.”
He said that the Speaker has been largely accountable to the people and has remained a torchbearer of the parliament.
“Abbas has earned the respect of members not just because he is a kind and God-fearing man, but because he strives daily for excellence.
He said that Abbas is an apostle of due process who has exhibited leadership with much accountability and probity at a very religious level.
Agbese said, “Obasanjo tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to bribe members of the National Assembly in his time to support positions that were not in line with the Constitution.
“That informed his decision to amend the Constitution through the backdoor, which was rejected by the majority.”
This alone, according to him, shows that apart from the few bad eggs that the former President had in the parliament as collaborators, the majority were still men and women of good conscience who could not sell their country for a pot of porridge.
He said that far from Obasanjo’s era, President Tinubu is leading by example by not interfering with emergency changes to the leadership, either in the Senate or Reps, adding that this is why some former leaders are envious of their relationship.
“They are not happy that Abbas is not like Ghali Na’Abba, and the President is making progress to salvage the situation.”
Agbese added that the Senate President, Goodwill Akpabio, is not like Sen Adolphus Wabara and Sen Evans Enwerem, the two Senate Presidents who were later impeached during the Obasanjo era.
Obasanjo had during an interaction with some members of the House of Representatives in Abeokuta on Friday said lawmakers decided the allowances and salary they give themselves including papers allowances, shift allowances, and seating allowances.
He said, “in some cases, the executive gives N200 million you are not entitled to.”
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