Nigerian lawmakers fixing their own salaries is unconstitutional: Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has accused federal lawmakers of acting unconstitutionally by deciding their own emoluments at the country’s expense.
Mr Obasanjo, who spoke on Monday, noted that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission should be responsible for prescribing the salaries of elected officials.
“All elected people, by our constitution, their emolument is supposed to be fixed by the revenue mobilisation commission, but our lawmakers set that aside, and they make laws and put any emolument for themselves,” stated the former president.
“Even if that is constitutional, it is not moral and, of course, it is neither constitutional nor moral,” the former Nigerian president said while delivering his speech at the 60th-anniversary celebration of legal icon Afe Babalola held in Ado Ekiti.
The 1999 Nigerian Constitution, under paragraph 32 (a-e), part 1 of the Third Schedule, the RMAFC is saddled with determining the remuneration appropriate for political office holders such as legislators, president, vice-president, governors, ministers, special advisers, among others as mentioned in section 84 and 124 of the legal document.
Mr Obasanjo, however, said many aspects of the Nigerian Constitution, mostly the Federal Character had been jettisoned, stressing it portends great danger for the country.
He added, “The point in Nigeria which I have seen and which I can attest to is most of the people who are supposed to be operationalising or managing and seeing the constitution and democracy move forward, they are actually the ones who undermine the constitution.”
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette

States
Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future
The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.

Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Heading 5
Nine reasons Nigerian families prefer sons to daughters
Son preference in Nigeria is largely rooted in patriarchal traditions that place greater value on male children.

Sport
Lagos, Owerri, Calabar to host Samuel Okwaraji Cup Southern Zonal Finals
It is organised in memory of Mr Okwaraji, who slumped and died on August 12, 1989, while representing Nigeria’s senior men’s national team, the Super Eagles.

States
Demolition of ADC property private dispute, says Kebbi government
The Kebbi government says the demolition of a property belonging to the African Democratic Congress in Birnin Kebbi was a private land dispute.

Faith
I am soldier of Islam, peace; Muslims should stop forced conversion: Sultan of Sokoto
The sultan urged Nigerians to harness the founding ideas, educational thoughts and principles of the Sokoto Caliphate to ensure good governance and address societal challenges.

Anti-Corruption
U.S. charges Nigerian national Michael Agah with election-related crimes
Nigerian national Michael Agah, 74, a lawful permanent resident, has been charged with voting by an alien and making a false claim to U.S. citizenship to vote.

Rights
Association backs regulation of real estate sector to strengthen consumer protection
The Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria has backed the proposed National Real Estate Regulatory Authority.





