‘Constituency Projects Is Unarmed Robbery’ – Ex-President Obasanjo Slams Nigerian Lawmakers

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in his latest book Nigeria Past and Future: Contemplations on Nigeria’s History and Vision For Tomorrow, delivers a sharp critique of Nigeria’s current lawmakers. ..Read Full Article.. .

He describes them as “much worse” than their counterparts during the First, Second, and Third Republics.

He described constituency projects as “daylight unarmed robbery,” a practice he believes lawmakers devised “in their hunger for illegitimate money.”

In the book’s seventh chapter, “Lawmakers at Federal and State Levels,” Obasanjo recounts his direct dealings with the National Assembly, both as a military and a democratic leader.

He states he saw “no redeeming feature in them to build a Nigeria of our dream.”

Obasanjo revealed that the bill that established the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) took a year and a half to pass through the National Assembly because it was “somewhat watered down.”

According to him, some lawmakers feared that passing the original bill would land them in jail after their terms. He chose to sign the “mangled” bill, fearing that sending it back would prevent the law from ever being passed.

He also accused lawmakers of altering other bills for personal gain, citing the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) bill.

He said, “The states, may not be all of them, went to bribe the national lawmakers and they excised states from making contributions to the fund.”

Obasanjo stated that the “worst action” of lawmakers is their “insatiable appetite for corruption and breach of the Constitution.”

He highlighted their self-granted “obscene salaries and allowances” which he claims make them the highest-paid legislators in developing countries and even some developed ones.

He said that when he was president, he refused to release what he considered unacceptable funds, even under the threat of impeachment.

On the topic of constituency projects, Obasanjo wrote, “In their hunger for illegitimate money, the lawmakers devised what they called constituency projects which they unilaterally inserted into the budget without consultation or agreement with the executive… Constituency projects by lawmakers at national or state levels are daylight unarmed robbery. All involved must be treated as criminals.”

He added that during his presidency, the practice was not as “brazen and audacious” as it has become since the Buhari administration.

Obasanjo also criticized “oversight visits” by lawmakers’ committees, saying they are used “purely only to collect money from” ministries and agencies. He concluded that this behavior is “shockingly ,and..  Read . .More —