By Bisi Lawrence
There has been a disputation between the Governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Sanusi Lamido and the Minister of Finance, Mr.Olusegun Aganga on the one hand, and the members of the National Assembly on the other, about the allegation that legislators scoop about twenty-five percent of the annual budget of the nation, as their remuneration. The legislators deny this.

They do so in outburst of indignation and have ordered both eminent “financial” persons to appear before them for a “clarification” of the statements they were reported to have made. But then, some of the legislators went on to claim that members of their families have been embarrassed, or “traumatized”, by the adverse publicity emanating from these statements. Mark that down as a point at which one may be made to pause, for a moment.

What it means is that the two gentlemen are being summoned, it would appear, to account for not only a fallacious public statement, but also a perceived personal injury they have  caused to the honourable members. Thus they are to appear before the very people who claim to have been so hurt.

That immediately limits our conception of the justice one is to expect from the members of the National Assembly in this matter, having set up themselves as the judges of a case in which they are also the complainants. The two eminent people could be summoned under the powers invested in the National Assembly, of course, but the exercise should be made to look less vindictive.

It can be said, right now, that the legislators are without blame about the size of their paycheck.

Even if it would not be amiss for them to cut down on their earnings for patriotic reasons, they are not entirely in charge of fixing their own remuneration. Whilst the Constitution grants them the privilege, or right, to do so, it also specifies that such an exercise shall not be in excess of recommendations of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

All the same, one would advise that the powers granted by the Constitution should be so administered as not to give the impression that it is in contravention of the right of freedom of speech, which is also one of the cardinal guarantees of the same Constitution. The frequency with which such powers are used may tend to compromise their integrity and diminish their effectiveness, especially if they are allowed to be misconstrued as a ready instrument to gag judicious comment and criticism.

The recent invitation of the Chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, may be cited as a case in point. He was carpeted for an innocent observation he made in the discharge of his duty, in a situation which just fell short of his being browbeaten

The issue of the earnings of legislators has been rearing its head now for some time. It has been alleged that the Nigerian Parliament is the most expensive legislative institutions on earth.. The remunerations of the legislators of several countries, even among the industrialized areas of the world, are dwarfed by what our lawmakers receive. The murmurings against the situation are getting louder by the day, especially among those who have been forced to give vent to their resentment by going on strike.

They all cite the legislators’ earnings as a mark of unequal and unfair distribution of the national resources. That, in fact, ought to have constituted as much a cause of embarrassment to the sensitive National Assemblymen who ascribe that effect to the statements from the Governor of Central Bank: and the Finance Minister.

The Governor of the Central Bank and the Minister of Finance are directly concerned about the fiscal well-being of this country. They hold important positions of responsibility, which affect every aspect of our revenues and expenditure. They would be derelict in their duties if they overlooked an area of insufficiency in the administration of our financial health. And it has to be agreed that for less than 500 people to receive 25 percent of the wealth belonging to 140 million citizens is definitely unhealthy. And should anyone be put through two trials for the same indictment?

When a kinsman of mine who has been living in America for several years, was recently contacted on his Facebook and asked when he would come back home, he sent back the crisp answer, “L.O.L. I at first thought it meant “lots of love” and wondered about his sense of sarcasm. But I later found out that it was even more pungent than that, when I was informed that he meant, “Laugh Out Loud!”

Well, that was my exact reaction to the report that someone representing Aso Rock attempted to bribe members of the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, in order to win their support for the candidacy of President Goodluck Jonathan. The man in the eye of the storm is Elder Godday Orubebe, who is Minister Niger Delta State Affairs, and he has flatly denied the allegation – or accusation, if you will.

I am sure you know why this can only be greeted by uncontrollable guffaws. The Save Nigeria Group is the pressure or action group, which emerged in the season of near-chaos when the late President Umar Yar’ Adua was still in office, but not really in control. The country seemed to be in a “twilight zone” of indecision and uncertainty, as reactionary interests—now mercifully dispersed-held the country to ransom.

Then arose Pastor Tunde Bakare, of the Latter Rain Mission, a man of daunting courage both on religious and national matters, who gathered together several stalwarts of national repute, to demand for the rescue of the nation from the vice-grip of those opportunists and sycophants. The group was known for its avowed purpose, to “save Nigeria”, and the pastor was identified for his position as the “Convener” –  not Chairman, or President, or any vain-glorious title. It might be mentioned that among the fold was Professor Wole Soyinka. And you don’t go more high-profile than that.

The kernel of the story was that the SNG was offered a bribe of all of the handsome sum of $50,000 for its support of President Jonathan. Yes, $50,000! – to Pastor Bakare? Well, maybe not to him personally, but it is said that be himself made the matter public. Elder Orubebe who, by the title of “elder”, should himself be regarded as a man of high moral principles, has expressed a lot of distress about the story.

He pointed out that it would be an insult to try to bribe a man of Pastor Bakare’s reputation with a paltry sum of $50,000. In fact, it would be no less an insult to consider bribing a man of the pastor’s antecedents with any sum of money, and that is why “LOL” should be the only reaction fit for all that.

However, the campaign apparatus of President Jonathan appears to need the tightening up of some loose knots and bolts. The few appreciable movements still suffer from an appearance of languor, whilst stuck to the beaten path of ancient processes, devoid of innovative options, and held captive by outdated strategies. If the man has nothing to display by way of fresh ideas in his campaign tactics, what will he have to offer in the nature of ground-breaking policies in office?

The Aregbesola victory in the governorship tussle of Osun State has acquired a surreal complexion over the period in which it lasted and ended in an incredible, but somewhat subdued finale. The truth was that those who fervently believed at the beginning, were hard put to hang on to the shreds of their tattered faith at’ the end. Engineer Aregbesola deserves to be congratulated and lionized for his tenacity which .paid off in the end.

The Judges of the Appeal Court also deserve to be commended, but perhaps not so the system under which they were obliged to operate. Nothing desirable can recommend itself in a juridical process which almost outlasts the worth of its benefits by its almost interminable duration. It must have been encumbered with a myriad of intricacies, which would render it susceptJ”ble to being maneuvered.

That makes it totally undesirable for issues of political elections. The system must be drastically changed. The INEC timetable has only specified time frames for the resolution of election cases without specifying very clearly how the tide of litigation that would ensue could be dammed within the allocated period. That will take some doing in the present dispensation.

The aspect of penalties for those who might have profited from the delay in the final decision has also been brought to the front burner. When you come to consider it, should someone who wrongfully occupies the position of a State Governor over a period of two or three years be allowed to depart with all the booty he has acquired when eventually thrown out of office?

Indeed, should any politician who is guilty of being improperly installed into any office go scot-free at the end? Where there are criminal aspects to such a situation, should there be no prosecution at all especially in the case of unlawful activities by electoral officers? The implementation of the correct answers to these questions can only be of benefit to our electoral process.

And now that the rump of the old Action Group and Unity Party of Nigeria – which the Alliance Congress of Nigeria represents – is beginning to sprout beautiful buds in .Ekiti, Ondo, Oshun and Edo States, isn’t it high time to return to the “source”? It is time to revive the shrine in Ikenne.

A gathering of Yoruba elders was supposed to have been held there recently, and one felt overjoyed that Yoruba people might now be looking inwards at last. It might indeed be appropriate: Ile-Ife in Osun State is the original source, and from Osun has come what might be the most heartwarming and the sweetest political victory of the year for Oduduwaland.