NASS, bunch of unarmed robbers, Obasanjo

FORMER President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday, again hit at the National Assembly over their huge allowances and salaries, describing the national lawmakers as a “bunch of unarmed robbers”.

Obasanjo who described the National Assembly as one of the highest paid institutions in the world, despite an estimated 75 per cent of Nigerians living in poverty, said it is an arm of government that should be roundly condemned.

While noting that he expected another round of bashing from the National Assembly, Obasanjo said he would continue to lambast the legislators for constituting a huge percentage of the nation’s overhead cost.

Obasanjo, who was Chief Host at the book presentation of Professor Mark Nwagwu entitled, “I am Kagara, I weave the sands of Sahara”, at University of Ibadan, said the nation would hardly develop when about 90 per cent of revenue was spent on overhead costs, rather than on capital expenses.

On the ongoing impasse between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the 2009 agreement, Obasanjo, at the event chaired by former Minister of Education, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, said government allowed itself to be stampeded into signing agreements without full consultation within government.

Regardless this, he noted that government was bound to implement whatever agreement reached with workers’ unions.

“Government allows itself to be stampeded into signing agreement particularly when one group or the other withdraws their service and go on strike. After the agreement has been signed, without full consultation within government, and implementation becomes an issue.”

“But an agreement is an agreement whoever the agent is that signed that agreement on your behalf, you are bound by it. You may now have to renegotiate to have a new agreement but the agreement earlier signed remains an agreement.”

“Universities’ teachers go on strike, there is an agreement; doctors go on strike, there will be a special agreement. And when the universities teachers see that the agreement reached with the doctors is different from theirs, they go on strike and this is bad for our economy.”

“The way we are going about spending all our revenue to pay overhead, we will not develop. And we will have ourselves to blame. 90 per cent of revenue is used to pay overhead, allowances, salaries and not much is left for capital development. In a situation like that, we have to rethink.”

“It is even worse for the National Assembly. They will abuse me again but I will never stop talking about them. They are a bunch of unarmed robbers.”

“They are one of the highest paid in the world where we have 75 percent of our people living in abject poverty. They will abuse me tomorrow and if they don’t, maybe they are sleeping. The behaviour and character of the National Assembly should be condemned and roundly condemned,” Obasanjo said.

Event Chairperson, Ezekwesili, remarked that the 289-page book, was a tool for Nigeria to examine the extent to which she had lost her values and culture.

She decried the loss of community spirit, warning that Nigeria must never negotiate her values.

According to her, the world was currently such that humanity tried to figure out what happened to morality.

In his review of the book, Mr Nwachukwu Egbunike pointed to the theme of feminism and how women navigate life intricacies towards achieving success in life.

Egbunike also lauded the author’s ability to weave around different concepts in both the spirit and natural world.

Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, University of Ibadan, Professor Olanike Adeyemo remarked that Nwagwu’s book was a veritable instrument to help the younger generation keep touch with culture.

Some academic and nonacademic who celebrated Professor Mark Nwagwu and wife, Helen, were Professor A.B.O.O Oyediran; Professor Emilolorun Aiyelari; Professor Ayodele Desalu; Dr Demola Lewis and Mr Tony Elumelu.