By Eric Teniola

THE Clerk of the National Assembly then, Alhaji Gidado Idris, GCON; the Clerk of the Senate, Mr. A.A. Coker as well as the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Mr. B.I. Olinmah have also passed on.

In 1979, the Senate adopted 37 Resolutions, while in 1980 it adopted 58 resolutions and in 1981 it adopted 97 Resolutions. In 1982, it adopted 42 Resolutions and in 1983, 29 Resolutions were adopted.

Each senator was paid N3,000 per month and entitled to only five legislative aides, namely one legislative aide on level 12, one confidential secretary on level eight, a typist on level  four and a clerical officer on level four and a messenger on level two.

Each member of the National Assembly at that time was given accommodation at 1004 Estates in Victoria Island, Lagos. They were all given medical facilities at the 1004 Estate.

The medical centre at 1004 at the time was headed by Dr. Chris Ngige, who is at present, the Minister of Labour and Productivity. Top federal civil servants  were equally given accommodation at the 1004 estate. It was the then Senate that approved members of the Federal Electoral Commission with Mr. Justice Victor Erereko Ovie-Wiskey appointed as the Chairman.

Other members are Chief J.B.C. Anyaegbuna (Anambra); Mrs. Ethel Onwu (Anambra); Alhaji Ahmed Kari (Bauchi); Mr. O.I. Afe (Bendel); Brigadier L.N. Obeya (Bendel); Alhaji Mustapha Umara (Borno); Mr. R.F. Uko (Cross River);

Mr. A.N. Adumanu (Imo); Alhaji Liman Umaru (Kwara); Mrs. Husa Iro Luko (Kaduna); Alhaji Aminu Salihu (Kaduna); Alhaji Mohammadu Mashabaru (Kano); Alhaji Zubairu Dandatta (Kano); Dr. (Mrs) Mabadeje (Lagos); Alhaji Umaru Audu (Niger); Dr. Lateef O. Aremu; Alhaji M.B.Ibrahim (Plateau); Mrs. E.A. Pam (Plateau) and Alhaji Garba Jabo (Sokoto).

The Senate also approved members for the Code of Conduct Bureau. They are Alhaji Isa Kaita (Chairman), Alhaji Nadu Maibe (member), Alhaji Hassan Lemu (member), Alhaji Zubairu Mahammud (member) and Mr. Boniface Chibunna Nwakanma (member). Other members were Mrs. F.M. Sowole, Mr. Moses Olarenwaju Egundeyi, Alhaji Usman Bichi, Reverend Akpan Ukpong, Alhaji Isa Iko, Mr. Agan Dankoro and Chief A.B. Batubo.

ALSO READ: One by one those senators are departing

They also approved the following as Ambassadors: Mr. Baba Gana Kingibe (Borno), Mr. I.J. Sagay (Bendel), Mr. Y. Abdullahi (Plateau), Mr. J.E.U. Ekong (Cross River), Mr. G.O. Okany (Anambra), Mr. E.O. Sanu (Oyo), Mr. A.K. Mohammed (Borno), Mr. M.A. Carpenter (Sokoto), Mr. M. L. Rafinddi (Kaduna), Mr. A.M.S. Imam (Kwara), Mr. O. Akadiri (Ondo), Mr. I.D.O. Sokoya (Ogun), Mr. O. Oshodi (Lagos),

Mr. O.O. Adesola (Lagos), Mr. H.B. Musa (Plateau), Mr. P.L. Udoh (Cross River), Mr. P.B. Loroye (Rivers), Mr. O. Ani (Ondo), Dr. L.A. Fabunmi (Ondo), Mr. P.O. Nnochiri (Imo), Mr. M.S. Umar (Bauchi), Mr. E. Fowora (Ogun), Mr. Musa M. Bello (Kwara), Mr. A.D.I. Blankson (Rivers), Mr. L. Metteeden (Kano),

Dr. G. Ijewere (Bendel), Mr. I. Chinade (Bauchi), Mr. L.S.M. Osobase (Bendel), Mr. J.K. Umar (Kaduna), Mr. E.O. Kolade (Ogun), Mr. H.I. Emenyi (Cross River), Mr. A.A. Mohammed (Kano), Mr. O.O. Fafowora (Oyo), Mr. G.A. Falase (Oyo) and Mr A. D. Gadau (Bauchi).

Also approved and confirmed by the Senate were the members of the Federal Civil Service Commission with Alhaji Bagudu Shettima (Niger) as the Chairman. Other members were Mr. Muritalabi Ashorobi (Lagos), Alhaji M. Bayero (Gongola), Mr. Ben M. Chukwudebe (Anambra), Mr. Eyoma Ita Eyoma (Cross River), Mr. Baguda Hirse (Plateau), Dr. Othaman Ladan-Baki (Kaduna), Alhaji A.A. Jimoh (Kwara) and Alhaji Aliyu Maru (Sokoto).

On December 31, 1983, Brigadier Sani Abacha, GCFR, who announced the overthrow of President Shehu Shagari declared that “the Clerk of the National Assembly (Alhaji Gidado Idris), the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives shall, within two weeks, render account of all the properties of the National Assembly”.

After hearing the announcement, I said to myself: Brigadier Sani Abacha must have been misinformed about activities of the National Assembly.

No member of the National Assembly was earning more than N3, 000 per month and there was no financial autonomy, no constituency projects to be executed by them.

Unlike now they did not blackmail or force the ministers to give them contracts and neither did they attempt to run the Federal Ministries and Agencies. Except the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and their deputies, none of them had official cars.

I remember when the three conference halls were to be built in the National Assembly, Alhaji Gidado Idris wrote an official letter to the then Minister of Finance, Professor Matthew Esang, from Oron, now in Akwa Ibom State, for release of funds.

The project was executed then by the Minister of Works at that time, Mr Victor Igwe Masi from Omoku in Ahoada Local Government Area of Rivers State.

When the project was delayed, Dr. Wayas had to personally invite Professor Esang to his office over the issue. The present members of the present National Assembly are now living like kings in palaces; in comparison their predecessors never enjoyed such opulence.

VANGUARD