It Is Unconstitutional for Lawmakers to Fix Their Salaries –Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has decried the fact that most of the people tasked to operationalise the Nigerian Constitution are the ones undermining the country’s democracy.

The former Head of State, said this exemplified constitutional abuse as a situation where members of the National Assembly fix their own salaries in clear usurpation of the duty of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission.

Obasanjo disclosed this on Monday in Ado-Ekiti, during a public lecture organised for the 60th anniversary of the Call-to-Bar of legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola.

In his submission, the ex-President said democracy was a preferred government, but players needed to respect the laws to make it work for all.

“By the Nigerian Constitution, the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission is supposed to fix the salaries and emoluments of the members of the National Assembly, but they (lawmakers) set the constitution aside and decided to fix their salaries,” Obasanjo remarked.

While urging political leaders to put the interest of citizens ahead in all decisions, the ex-President pointed out: “Democracy doesn’t mean anything to a man who is hungry, whose life is in danger or whose property is being destroyed.”