Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday accused the National Assembly of putting the constitution aside when it didn’t suit their personal interests.
Particularly, Obasanjo alleged that the lawmakers didn’t receive salary based on the recommendations of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission as it should be based on the country’s constitution.
The former Nigerian leader accused the lawmakers of undermining the country’s democracy by their actions.
He made the submission in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, during a lecture titled, ‘The future of constitutional democracy in Nigeria: Imperative of a new constitutional order’ delivered by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah.
The event was part of activities marking the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the call to bar of legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN).
Obasanjo said, “By the Nigerian Constitution, the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission are supposed to fix the salaries and emoluments of the members of the National Assembly, but they set the constitution aside and decided to fix their salaries”.
The former President said citizens were meant to enjoy democracy, but that could only be possible if the players respected and implemented the constitution to the letter.
He said, “Democracy doesn’t mean anything to any man who is hungry, whose life is in danger, or whose property is being destroyed.”
