[b]Members of the National Assembly want President Goodluck Jonathan to drop a proposed 40 percent cut in their huge allowances

Members of the National Assembly want President Goodluck Jonathan to drop a proposed 40 percent cut in their huge allowances, including the unexplainable jumbo quarterly allowances, as a condition for a support for the removal of oil subsidy, pointblanknews.com has gathered.

Currently the average low ranking Senator takes home no less than N50 Million as quarterly allowance, while the Senate President gets about N200 Million. They are meant, they claim, for maintenance of constituency offices

This is coming as moves heightened for a no confidence vote, which could culminate in an impeachment move, using the Boko Haram and branding the proposed subsidy removal as anti-people, in what appears to be the beginning of a frosty relationship between the Legislature and the Executive.

It was gathered that the face-off could be traced to a letter Jonathan wrote to the principal officers where he suggested a 40 per cent cut in allowances and perks currently enjoyed by the lawmakers. Jonathan in that letter cited the statistics by the CBN Governor concerning the huge overhead of the NASS where nothing is produced.

A source that does not want to be named told Pointblanknews.com “they have threatened to commence the process of vote of no confidence that may even result in move to impeach him. They are pretending to be against the removal, but its all a game. And no President wants to face that. Its better to lose an election than to be impeached “

According to the source that is very familiar with on goings between the two arms of Government, “as you know they have had two meetings and more are coming. If the President agrees not to touch their allowance they will back off, and tell Nigerians we tried. Truth is they have asked that some impossible conditions be met.
Part of the conditions according to the source is the names of those who and imported what, who are beneficiaries, breakdown of 2011 subsidy. If these are made public it could look like Halliburton”

As the brinkmanship between President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly continues over the removal of fuel subsidy, Pointblanknews.com has unearthed fresh facts as to why the legislators are creating the impression they are rattling sabers.

Few days ago, after a meeting at the Presidential Villa, they pushed back and insisted that for their support, Jonathan must satisfy four conditions: publication of the beneficiaries of past fuel subsidy, presentation of the facts and figures concerning the proposal, release of palliative measure, and a concrete work plan on how to make the refineries work. According to one of the Senators who refused to be named “ we do not want a situation whereby we will be tricked into supporting the proposal without palliative measures to cushion the effect on the masses”

There are still strings of meeting, and breakfast parleys lined up between the Villa and the National Assembly. But Pointblanknews.com sources hinted at the weekend that the push by the legislators has very little to do with their concern for those they represent.

Pointblanknews.com gathered that even though the removal of subsidy is an executive prerogative, Jonathan decided to carry along the legislative because of the anticipated economic implications. But the move is being exploited by the NASS, which has asked Jonathan to drop the idea of 40 per cent in allowances or face a massive opposition.

It was also learnt that the NASS request that Jonathan made names of beneficiaries and to break down the figure, which the presidency puts at N1.5 Trillion, are herculean ones. The NASS insist the figure this year is not more than N500Billion. They want to know how and who imported fuel,

Said our source “ they are using some kind of blackmail tactics. The issue at stake is the letter Mr. President wrote to them concerning a 40 per cent cut in their allowance, which they rejected. So when the issue of subsidy came up, they pounced and even threatened to pass vote of no confidence on him. The last time they met the harped seriously on security threats and how they believe the Federal government and its security chiefs have no clue.”[/b]

http://pointblanknews.com/new/news/3063-cut-our-allowances-forget-support-for-fuel-subsidy-removal-nass-members-tell-jonathan.html

Pointblank news again,

They country really needs to be disintegrated.

Rubbish PointBlank news!

The contents of this article is exactly the opposite of the title the poster has given it. Talk about abilty to comprehend?.

Oga Lanre, I felt the same way until I looked well. Let me rephrase the topic for u: "If you (GEJ) Cut Our Allowances, then Forget Fuel Subsidy Removal- Nass Members!"

OP is on point. In fact, this is typical newspaper "headlining". It is designed to make you want to read. Hope u get the point?