Prof. Sagay vs. lawmakers
For me as concerned citizen with how underdeveloped we have remained as a nation more especially with the way crops of inordinate ambitious and selfish political class who do not care about the suffering masses with how our common wealth is being frittered away on our careless political class especially members of the National Assembly with the recent revelation emerging from Professor Itse Sagay about colossal amount being paid to federal legislators in salaries and allowances and which has been referred to as an incitement against them. However, it is not about incitement but a fight against social injustice and political indictment of irresponsibility and irresponsiveness to the people they swear to protect if elected. A clarions call to all Nigerians to wake up from their slumber of docility and start to demand for responsive leadership. 29 million naira monthly for each lawmaker for doing what if I may ask? Some are mere bench warmers and spectators and some do not even bother to be present and yet 29m monthly gone on them each! And if at all there is a bill to work on, it is usually the one for their selfish interest against the masses.
Why should lawmakers be earning so much in a country where minimum wage for poor civil servants has become an anathema? Where people still beg to be treated of terminal illness or critical ailment that requires attention abroad? Where poverty is still pervasive and where salaries are no longer paid as at when due to poor civil servants by some governors and where social economic security of the citizens has remained unjustifiable and theirs remained justifiable.
With emergence of APC led government under President Muhammadu Buhari, we had hoped to realize serious political class coming to serve the masses and not their pockets with much sacrifice at ensuring that the goodies of democracy are adequately delivered to the people but sad that the government ended up with bunch of national assembly members who are full of themselves. To cap it all, instead of supporting the anticorruption war of Mr. President, they end up rubbishing same and what we get at the end of the day was discharging of Dr. Saraki, the senate president of all charges of corruption on asset declaration. I tell you what, political class in Nigeria just do things for their selfish and inordinate ambition.
And need I say that the anticorruption war is fast becoming very weak. No stricter measures are yet in place to check corruption in our polity and sadly none of the past or present corrupt political office holders have been so convicted or sent to jail to serve as deterrent even though death penalty is out of it.
To this end, why must our political class remain the major beneficiaries of our democracy while the people they claim to protect continue to wallow in abject poverty? Review of salaries and allowances of political class, especially our lawmakers is most expedient for development of the country.
Some Nigerians have started urging Professor Sagay to resign since government will not like to look into his complain which is an advise government need to heed to over the needless huge monthly amount the lawmakers are getting both in salaries and allowances more especially as an appointee of Federal Government as Chairman Committee of PACA. Perhaps the call is for the professor of Law to further show seriousness in identifying with the masses in forcing down their salaries and allowances towards making his crusade for social justice more meaningful!
Yeah! But it is rather unfortunate that leaders do not resign here like in a sanest clime but whatever may be the case, I stand with Professor Sagay in fighting selfish and inordinate ambition of our political elites, especially members of the national assembly who rather than protect our interest as citizens of Nigeria are more after their pockets and bellies as they do not care a hoot about ordinary poor masses struggling to survive.
Comrade Emeka Anozie, Lagos.