• Speaker, Fashola, others chart path to nation’s growth
SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal yesterday in Lagos took a swipe at those accusing the nation’s lawmakers of earning outrageous salaries, saying their pay was reasonable given the peculiarities of their job.
Also, the speaker and Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday took turns to blame the country’s failed political leadership on irresponsive and inactive fellowship.
While Tambuwal said the “problem rests squarely on fellowship”, Fashola observed that the country could do better if leaders discharge their constitutional responsibilities, including fulfilling tax obligations.
Both leaders spoke at the Fifth Christopher Kolade Symposium series organised by the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI).
The speaker, who was represented by the Minority Leader of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, said what many people have classified as lawmakers’ salaries were allowances they collect to discharge their duties effectively.
He disclosed that his job requires that he visits his constituency weekly, which puts his airfare allowance alone at N500, 000 monthly.
He said he has challenged his colleagues to make their salaries and allowances public so that Nigerians would know the exact legislative packages that have caused ripples in recent years.
Justifying legislators’ pay, the speaker said Nigerians have grown to rely heavily on the lawmakers for their personal needs unknown to them that their constitutional responsibilities are not related to such assistances.
Observing that a society gets the leadership it deserves, he noted that when people hold government accountable, they will be able to directly dictate what “the government gives them.”
Tambuwal observed that the Nigeria dream is “life more abundantly” and it could only come to fusion through a responsible followership.
He added that Nigeria’s dream has not been achieved because the masses have failed to hold government accountable. He attributed the historical woes and official corruption to the inability of the followers to hold on to their stance against all odds.
Noting that though the ultimate leader is a servant of the people, Fashola stated that the relationship between the leader and the followers demands that both play their role in line with the Constitution. The governor said a true leader must live in fear but must not allow the fear to overwhelm him because he must have the dignity to continue despite the fear as it helps to keep him focused in his task.
He also believes that having a Nigeria dream will help shape and set standards that would guide the leaders and the followers to know their rights and responsibilities.
In his contribution, Atedo Peterside, represented by the CEO of Stanbic IBTC Pensions, Mr. Demola Sogunle, said leadership was not about title or position but positively affecting and influencing lives. He said that leadership in the corporate world is about balancing short-term goals with long-term vision of the organisation.
For the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Leadership Initiative, Mr. Yinka Oyinlola, the need for accountability and being responsible should not be limited to the leaders, as the followers must also be accountable and responsible.
He, however, alluded to how bad system changes a good leader and how for example, a good leader changed the fate of Rwanda.

source: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php/news/national-news/139128-our-pay-justified-says-tambuwal

He disclosed that his job requires that he visits his constituency weekly, which puts his airfare allowance alone at N500, 000 monthly.

How many of them do actually visit their constituency and parley with them? the only time people know that they are around is when their convoy harass you on the way. They have converted that to trips to visit friends rather that knowing the problems of those that they are supposed to represent.

Tambuwal observed that the Nigeria dream is “life more abundantly” and it could only come to fusion through a responsible followership.
He added that Nigeria’s dream has not been achieved because the masses have failed to hold government accountable. He attributed the historical woes and official corruption to the inability of the followers to hold on to their stance against all odds.

Hahahahaaa...... my friend you just hung yourself with this your silly statement. If i may ask you are speaker for the house of rep, who do you rep if not the people

He disclosed that his job
requires that he visits his
constituency weekly, which
puts his airfare allowance
alone at N500, 000 monthly.
He said he has challenged his
colleagues to make their
salaries and allowances public
so that Nigerians would know
the exact legislative packages
that have caused ripples in
recent years.

the amount of money one has determines one's taste.

Just because the allowances are outrageous, that is the reason he deemed it fit flying from Abuja to tambuwal village in sokoto like a fruit bat. Who else should travel by road if not him!

Even if they disclose their salaries and allowances, what about the ghana-must-go packages? Or he felt we can be deceived!

I think the pay is justified if it is only #500,000 that enters your account every month.

GOd punish you, ...useless s.tupid i.diot mumu were ni e
morafucka

^^#500,000 is not his monthly salary or allowance, it's his monthly travel allowance- it's enough inducement to make him travel to his accursed village albeit unwillingly.
My replies to Tambu. I always knew your holier-than-thou attitude is a charade. Imagine blaming the 'fellowship or followership' for the woes of this con3? While a true leader like Fashola didnt shy away from laying the blame on the leadership. Maybe Tambu actually is right, until we the 'lead' revolts against the attrocities of the NASS and their bogus pays, our Nigerian dream might never be realized.
And i bliv, #myopinion. Curbin the corruption of the NASS is a faster shorter means of restoring Nigeria's dream. Make the NASS an unprofitable political venture by makin their members receive equal pay as level 12 civil servant and watch them sit up on their oversight functions! Yes, they will just naturally sit up, because they will hate it when their mates in the executive corruptly enrich themselves at their/masses expense.

These guys are all messed up.

KILL THEM ALL!

I might have tried to see reason with Tambuwal if he actually has a job. The problem is, he and his colleagues do nothing so they shouldn't even get more than 50k a month.

They are a bunch of insensitive, selfish and narrow-minded folks who are only interested in creating deep holes in the country's pocket with their unjustifiable outrageous renumeration. The most annoying part is that many of them are mere bench-warmers whose only contribution is to say 'yeah or nay' to issues they hardly understand.

Nigeria is a funny country, here is a daft "leader" blaming his constituency for his stupidity. In a civilized world, office holders resign when they fail in their duties, *without been told*.