The Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has disagreed with a claim made by Vice-Chancellor, Ahman Pategi University, Patigi, Kwara State, Prof Mahfouz Adedimeji, that the nation runs the most expensive legislature in the world.
Prof Adedimeji had at the 10th annual symposium of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, B-zone held in Abeokuta on Saturday claimed that “Nigeria spends the highest amount of money on the legislators in the world and the National Assembly consumes more money than any other parliament in the world.”
He further said: “A unicameral legislature with two representatives from each state is sufficient. The National Assembly should have less than 100 members including Abuja.”
While speaking on the theme “Saving a Nation on the Precipice: Between Re-federation And Secessionalism,” the Islamic cleric who was the guest lecturer at the occasion said that the current political structure requires some restructuring.
He noted that the country should continue as an indivisible entity, adding that there is the need to reintroduce geographical government represented by a premier in each zone to be elected by the governors of the states.
Responding to claims made by the guest speaker, Gbajabiamila who was the chairman of the occasion said it was wrong to assume the country runs the most expensive legislature in the world.
Gbajabiamila who was represented by a member representing Ifo/Ewekoro constituency at the House of Representatives, Ibrahim Isiaka, said the budgetary allocation of the National Assembly only represents two percent of the country’s budget.
He explained “you know we take responsibilities because, in the constitution, the first thing is the legislature, the parliament. Even, if anybody wants to cause any trouble in this country, what you first say is suspend the constitution, suspend the parliament.
“But, no one till today has actually sat down to go into research and define the meaning of legislators. The money being spent on the National Assembly is less than two per cent of the total budget of this country but nobody had ever looked at what is happening to 98 per cent.
“And when you say National Assembly, you are not talking about legislators who are the lawmakers, you are talking about the National Assembly Commission. You are talking about everything, all-encompassing.”
The Zonal Amir of the society, Quasim Odedeji stated that the symposium became necessary to address the hydra-headed issues and challenges facing the country.
Odedeji said: “We are in a very precarious situation. Insecurity has permeated all nooks and crannies of our nation. Nobody can sleep with their two eyes closed. Incessant killings, farmers-herders crisis, kidnappings, armed robbery, and banditry has become the order of the day. It is against this backdrop that we selected the theme, the topic, and discussants that are round pegs in round holes to lead today’s discussion.”
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