6 Suspended Reps To Get N552.5m

MEMBERS of the House of Representatives, led by Honourable Dino Melaye, whose suspension was nullified by a federal high court sitting in Abuja, are to receive about N553 million upon resumption as their salaries and allowances for the three months the suspension order lasted.

The 10 members, who were suspended on June 22, include Honourables Melaye, Independence Ogunewe, Solomon Awhinahwi, Bitrus Kazeh, Abbas Anas, Austin Nwachukwu, Gbenga Onigbogi and Doris Uboh, with four of them already recalled.

However, this is subject to the final decision of the House led by Honourable ‘Dimeji Bankole, if it chooses not to pursue the leave of appeal it filed before the court on the judgment.

The court, presided over by Justice Adamu Bello, had, on Thursday, nullified the indefinite suspension placed on the lawmakers by the 360-member parliament, declaring that the order was illegal and unconstitutional.

The said sum, according to findings, is made up of monthly salary of N1.35 million per ordinary member of the House and allowances, including about N42 million said to be paid into the bank account of each member on a quarterly basis.

In the parlance of the House, the quarterly allowance is referred to as collapse fund and is said to derive from allowances such as committee sittings, local and overseas trips, health, conferences, entertainment, maintenance of offices, among others.

The collapse fund, findings revealed, had increased from about N14 million to the current N42 million.

The House had suspended the 10 lawmakers belonging to Melaye-led Progressives, who were demanding a probe of the Speaker’s (Bankole’s)  leadership over the way House funds were being spent, even as they demanded that Bankole quit his position as Speaker.

The suspension order came following a fisticuff that ensued between the group and some other members at the plenary, in which weapons were used.

Justice Bello said in his ruling that the suspended lawmakers were not given fair hearing as provided for by Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution and that the House acted its powers by placing them on indefinite suspension instead of 14 days which the law provided for.

Already, the House leadership has filed a stay of execution pending appeal to challenge the decision of the court.

It will be recalled that the ‘jumbo’ paid to members of the National Assembly has become subject of public debate.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had, a few months ago, said that salaries and allowances paid to the National Assembly, including 109 senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives, were on the high side.

He said that the exact earning of a federal lawmaker was even unknown.

Spokesman of the House, Honourable Eseme Eyibo, did not pick calls made to him on his cell-phone when his reaction was sought. Also a text message sent to him, which reads: “Sir, please I want your reaction on the suspended Reps. Thanks,” was not replied.

But sources told Saturday Tribune that the matter could be resolved through political solution, hinting that the affected lawmakers would get whatever they were due for.

Posted: at 4-12-2010 03:00 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

ok

Posted: at 4-12-2010 04:07 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

I wouldn't blame the suspended Lawmakers
Becos if they were not suspended they would
have earn more than that....Only devil will heartlessly
punish all these our LegisLooters, under the umbrella of
PDP==>People Decieving People

Posted: at 4-12-2010 05:27 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

God dey see dem my guy!

Posted: at 4-12-2010 06:50 PM (13 years ago) | Upcoming

And they claim they are not spending 25% of our National Budget? With these kind of frightening figures they could be spending well over 25%... Lord have mercy!...And tomorrow they say NIGERIA IS BROKE!

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Posted: at 4-12-2010 09:31 PM (13 years ago) | Upcoming

 :ois wha oh

Posted: at 5-12-2010 12:01 AM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac