The outrageous salaries received by Nigerian senators, ministers and lawmakers, have always been a hot topic for the average Nigerian. In a new twist, the former President has threatened to take the case to court.
Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has threatened to sue Nigerian senators, ministers and all lawmakers over their huge salaries and allowances, Vanguard reports.
Speaking at a news conference in Lagos on Friday, Agbakoba said he will drag the 8th National Assembly to court, if they fail to maximally slash what he described as the ‘bogus’ salaries and allowances they earn, which takes up 25 percent of the country’s national budget.
Advising the President-elect, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on how to handle the big shocks caused by Nigeria’s dwindling economy, he said there is need to challenge the earnings of the lawmakers.
“I am actually preparing a case to go to court to challenge the National Assembly on the unconstitutional allowances, and for the court to also declare that the national assembly legislators are only part-time, since the 1999 constitution stipulates that the Legislature should operate for 180 days of the 365 days in a year.”
“If we want things to work in this country, the role doesn’t only rest in the President. Civil societies also have a role to play. What we haven’t seen in Nigeria is a President who is willing to run the country towards a new order. Who are even these legislators, how many are they? They are about 500. So, they can’t continue in the context of dwindling economy, to eat up 25 percent of our resources. It doesn’t make sense,” he said.