₦airaland Forum

REFERENDUM ON SALARIES OF THE POLITICIANS

Dear Nigerians,

It's very conspicuous indeed that Nigeria at present is experiencing a disheartening recession economically.

Nigerians are lamenting as regards the hardship encountering daily causing untimely death...!

But one aspect we seem to have neglected for review but militating against the economy is the rate at which politicians milk the Nation.

It is high time we faced the reality but to declare state of emergency on the salaries of the politicians, and make politics non-attractive.

Imagine, Twenty-one senators currently receiving pensions from government as ex-governors and deputy governors.

The current senators who once served as governors are Bukola Saraki of Kwara, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano, Kabiru Gaya of Kano, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Theodore Orji of Abia, Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa, Sam Egwu of Ebonyi, Shaaba Lafiagi of Kwara, Joshua Dariye of Plateau Jonah Jang of Plateau, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto, Ahmed Sani Yarima of Zamfara, Danjuma Goje of Gombe, Bukar Abba Ibrahim of Yobe, Adamu Aliero of Kebbi, George Akume of Benue and Isiaka Adeleke of Osun.

The former deputy governors in the Senate are Ms Biodun Olujimi of Ekiti and Enyinaya Harcourt Abaribe of Abia. Danladi Abubakar Sani served as the acting governor of Taraba state.

Many former governors are also in Buhari's Cabinet as Ministers. This includes: Ngige, Fayemi, Amaechi and Fashola (SAN).).

In Akwa Ibom State, the law provides that ex governors and deputy governors receive pension equivalent to the salaries of the incumbent. The package also includes a new official car and a utility vehicle every four years; one personal aide; a cook, chauffeurs and security guards for the governor at a sum not exceeding N5 million per month and N2.5 million for his deputy governor.

In Rivers, the law provides 100 percent of annual basic salaries for the ex-governor and deputy, one residential house for the former governor “anywhere of his choice in Nigeria”; one residential house anywhere in Rivers for the deputy, three cars for the ex-governor every four years and two cars for the deputy every four years.

It is alledged that in Lagos, a former governor will get two houses, one in Lagos and another in Abuja, estimated at N500 million in Lagos and N700 million in Abuja. He also receives six new cars to be replaced every three years; a furniture allowance of 300 percent of annual salary to be paid every two years, and a N30 million pension annually for life.

This is the reality for all the 21 ex govenors and deputy governors who are currently serving as senators. This same is also true of ex governors who are now serving as Ministers.

NOW I ASK:
How many years did these guys serve their states as governors and deputy governors? Is it more than 8years? Is that a reason to be entitled to pensions for life? Even if they are entitled to pension for life, must it be so outrageous?

As if that is not enough: HOW on earth can any public servant with conscience collect salaries and allowances as a senator or minister, and still have the audacity to claim pensions equivalent to the salaries of a serving governor in Nigeria?

IT ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE......

Once you are elected a senator or appointed a minister, you must forfeit any pension accruing to you from government at any level until you vacate office. This should also apply to senators collecting military pensions like former Senate President David Mark.

Yet these senators are in the Senate that is inviting the current finance minister to discuss the recession of Nigeria's economy. A senator pockets approximately 30 million naira monthly as salary and allowances.

Our "honourables" are not interested to make laws that could restructure our country into economically autonomous federating States/Regions to save the country from sectional agitations that is threatening to destroy Nigeria.The sad and hopeless situation is that the rest of Nigerians are busy arguing based on party, ethnic and affiliations while these enemies of state continue to rape us.

Do you know that it costs tax payers 290m Naira yearly to maintain each member of our National Assembly in a country where nothing works & 80% of population earn below 300 Naira a day ? A working day earning of a senator is more than a yearly income of a doctor; it's more than the salary of 42 Army generals or 48 professors or 70 commissioners of police or more than twice the pay of the US President or 9times the salary of US congressmen.

I think the country must have a referendum on salaries of senators. This must happen very quickly.

The current constitution of Nigeria is the fundamental clause to many woes in this Nation. imagine, a former Governor claiming lifetime pension amounting to over N100M just for 8yrs service. Why?

I appeal to patriotic Nigerians to rise against this anomaly.

Nigeria shall rise again.


Dr Saint

BeeBeeOoh:
Just look back now, na me be the that person wey dey follow you for back...

Freegift75:
Hope u no carry gun for my back?

DabuIIIT:
Rubbish. The only refferadum we need is refferadum about the dammed unity of the zoo..who agrees with me?

Freegift75:
Disappointed in the MOD! Two hours after this thread was created, lots of junks have made frontpage...

It reveals the MOD is a politician. If not I urge him to do the needful

kaysy:
Since the Mod failed to do that, the best thing is we should copy the link and post on our facebook walls, i'll do just that and also post it on punch website then ref this link, lets forget nairaland and their mods, no one internet platform can hold us to ransom

kaysy:
Just posted this link on my Facebook now, wanted to post on punch but i realized maybe they don't offer forum like they used to do except comments, so i had to copy this whole post and link and sent to editor@punchng.com we really need this salaries reviewed downwards.

Freegift75:
You seem not know what you posted. The point of this thread is the fundamental challenge militating against the development of this nation.

The enemies of Nigeria are the politicians and the constitution. Nigeria will remain stagnant economically if our constitution remains.

DabuIIIT:
of course i do,freegift,now u talking..what nigeria needs is foundamental change which can also come from constitutional change and certainly not change or refferadum over lawmakers' salary ur thread is talking about.thats only gonna affect the lawmakers (who are still gonna be better off) and not the common nigerian..nigerians need a foundamental change that will affect everybody.. If u are trully nigerian u will understand my earlier post..see my guy,we are a diverse nation,talking about tribe and culture,and that plays alot in the Nass where certain regions might decide to support a motion or not and thats it..you are talking about constitutional change now but you and i know that the current nigerian constitution favours a certain region,the north,more than others and they are in the majority in the nass and military..they will NEVER support such move,just as they are not supporting the call for TRUE FEDERALISM and RESTRUCTURING. You must have heard Tambowal the other day..some time ago it was ndume,a SENATOR. Who do you think is keeping the PIB bill in the locker? Theres a 10% cut for oil producing communities on the PIB and the north is not accepting it. So freegift,constitutional change is impossible. Nigerians are in bondage and under internal colonisation. And its been so too long. Thats why i smh at those,especially the yorubas, who castigate and condemn the biafran and Niger deltan agitators...

I learnt just this morning that CFA1k now exchanges for #4k! Have a great day.

Freegift75:
Now I know that you reason well. I sincerely understood all your points. These are not strange to my understanding...! Nigeria is indeed in cage! We are hypnotised by Nigeria constitution. The major obstacle to the constitution amendment is tribal differences. We are not harmonised but live in rival. I still believe there is solution.

To me, I support military taking over

DabuIIIT:
freegift,i doubt if thats a good option cos the military is now too 'tribalised' and politicised,you know what i mean. Certain ppl believe the military is their birthright...i am into the maritime and not too long ago we had some work in a military yard in a western state,all the personel and officers at the entrance and majority of the officers within were all northerners. Guess what,they were communicating on their walkie talkies in 'hausa'! They are in total control of the military..will this type of military take over and enthrone true federalism and restructuring? 'They' almost took over when yar adua died and only God knows what would've happened if gej won the last election. The situation was so bad that northern soldiers then were expressing anger for guess who,christians (gej and southerners)! Pls,i dont wanna talk 'more than myself,o' but theres one other factor that can help and the north knows it well and has been and is still working against it and that is southern united stand...i am talking about a united stand between the igbos and ss and yorubas.. They shud come together and unite and push for political power and get it and push for foundamental reforms and restructuring and draft an all peoples' constitution and enthrone true federalism. Then if any region isnt good with that,then REFERADUM FOR SELF DETERMINATION.

One aint waiting for what the nation will do for him/her,whats important is for one to live in a land where he/she can be encouraged and aspire for greatness and live the dream.

A benin brother and friend of mine,a naturalised british citizen, was travelling back to london and guess what he said to us: 'i am going home".

Freegift75:
God bless you my brother. Check the frontpage of Nairaland, all junks. Well, I will also do the copy and past as you said. What a patriotic spirit indeed!

DabuIIIT:
freegift,i doubt if thats a good option cos the military is now too 'tribalised' and politicised,you know what i mean. Certain ppl believe the military is their birthright...i am into the maritime and not too long ago we had some work in a military yard in a western state,all the personel and officers at the entrance and majority of the officers within were all northerners. Guess what,they were communicating on their walkie talkies in 'hausa'! They are in total control of the military..will this type of military take over and enthrone true federalism and restructuring? 'They' almost took over when yar adua died and only God knows what would've happened if gej won the last election. The situation was so bad that northern soldiers then were expressing anger for guess who,christians (gej and southerners)! Pls,i dont wanna talk 'more than myself,o' but theres one other factor that can help and the north knows it well and has been and is still working against it and that is southern united stand...i am talking about a united stand between the igbos and ss and yorubas.. They shud come together and unite and push for political power and get it and push for foundamental reforms and restructuring and draft an all peoples' constitution and enthrone true federalism. Then if any region isnt good with that,then REFERADUM FOR SELF DETERMINATION.

One aint waiting for what the nation will do for him/her,whats important is for one to live in a land where he/she can be encouraged and aspire for greatness and live the dream.

A benin brother and friend of mine,a naturalised british citizen, was travelling back to london and guess what he said to us: 'i am going home".