According to Channels Television, Femi Falana, a prominent human rights lawyer, has criticised the National Assembly’s decision to provide N70 billion as palliatives for its members, calling it unlawful and insulting.
Falana, in a press statement issued on Sunday, drew attention to the blatant violation of pertinent parts of the Nigerian Constitution and advocated the urgent reversal of this contentious legislation.
The distribution of N70 billion to 306 newly elected members, in addition to N40 billion set aside for the purchase of SUVs and bulletproof cars for important executives and members, has generated public outcry.
According to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), these judgements are clearly in violation of Section 70 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution of 1999, which specifies the appropriate compensation and allowances for members of the National Assembly.
Falana affirmed that the judiciary had already ruled against such excessive allowances, citing recent court judgements such as Monday Ubani & Anor. versus Attorney-General of the Federation & Ors. and the case filed by the Socio-economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP), Enough is Enough (EiE), and BudgIT against the National Assembly.
In both cases, the Federal High Court ruled that the National Assembly Service Commission lacked the competence to set its members’ salaries and allowances. The court emphasised the importance of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) reviewing and adjusting salaries and allowances to reflect the country’s economic reality.
Falana emphasised that these judgements remain valid and binding and that the actions of the National Assembly are thus unconstitutional and contemptuous. He urged the National Assembly’s leadership and members to reverse the contentious allowances and purchases of expensive vehicles.
Falana asked the RMAFC to take quick action to prevent further takeover of its constitutional functions if these actions were not promptly corrected. He warned that failure to do so would result in contempt proceedings against the Chairman of the RMAFC and the leaders of both chambers of the National Assembly.
As expected, this development elicited reactions on Facebook as it was shared by Channels Television on their official page.
A Facebook user identified as Yaqub Omo Olatunbosun said, “Can we ever have a group of politicians that’ll make sacrifices for this country?”
Agbaji Imanu’el Lloyd said, “Enough of this grammar. We need action.”
Abiodun Jimoh said, “We can never get it right if we don’t do away with religion, ethnicity, sentiment, and parties in electing the leaders in Nigeria. May God, Almighty Allah, save the masses.”
Jerry Emma said, “They said the pallatives are for poor families. Are national assembly members part of the people suffering from multidimensional kinds of poverty?”
Imolehin Ayodele said, “They are supposed to give palliatives to the electorates that vote them in as senators instead of requesting the little one the government is providing. I totally agree with you, sir. 29 million in a month is not a small amount of money; what else do they need?”
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