Yesterday, chairman of the Presidential Action Committee on
Anti-Corruption (PACAC), Itse Sagay, alleged that members of the Senate collect
as much as N29
million as monthly salary which is N3 billion per annum.
The Senate has now released a statement reacting to his claim. In the
statement which was signed by Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the
legislators called on President Buhari to caution Sagay who they described as a
loose cannon. According to Abdullahi, Sagay talks like a man who is constantly
under the influence of some substance and perhaps possessed as he employs the
language of a tout with no civility. Read the statement below
The Senate has urged President Buhari to rein in the chairman of the
Presidential Action Committee on Anti-Corruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay
who it accused of spreading falsehood and making hate speeches against the
National Assembly.
In a statement by its spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the Senate
stated that Sagay was fond of using every opportunity he has to make public
speeches to disparage the Federal Legislature by using uncouth and unprintable
words to describe the legislators and the institution they represent.
He noted that Sagay had been one of the few divisive elements in the
Buhari administration who believe their relevance is enhanced only when they
create constant tension between the legislature and the executive while also
setting members of the executives against each other.
Abdullahi noted that while the legislators had ignored past statements
made by the Professor of law, his recent speech at a public lecture in Lagos
organized by the Society of International Law where he gave false details about
the salary and allowances of the legislators and the various bills passed
bordered on inciting members of the public against the legislators and
deliberately circulating hate speech; which the government is working hard to
contain.
"Ordinarily, we would ignore Sagay whose statements and attitude
present him like a rascal and sadist instead of a former university teacher.
However, his last speech in Lagos during which he was reeling out false and
exaggerated figures about the salaries nod allowances of legislators and also
lied about the passage of anti-corruption bills showed that he just
deliberately set out to undermine the legislative institution and lower its
reputation in the estimation of right thinking members of the society and we
therefore believe we should put him in his rightful place.
"As an academic whose creed should be to find facts and make
comments based on truth, we believe that Sagay should stop spreading beer
parlour rumours about the salaries and allowances of legislators when he could
simply get the facts from the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Allocation
Commission (RMFAC) which is the body constitutionally charged with the
responsibility of fixing salaries and allowances of all public officials.
"Let us make it clear that our salaries and allowances are open
books and the details can be taken from the RMFAC by any interested party.
"Prof. Sagay at his lecture in Lagos also made comparisons which did
little credit to his background as a lecturer as he was talking of the salary
of the United States President and that of a Nigerian legislator. That is like
comparing oranges with apples. Only a senile, jaded, rustic and outdated
Professor of Law like Sagay will make such a comparison which falls flat on its
face, even to an ordinary lay man. Surely, Sagay is basing his analysis on
street talks.
"Sagay could not even check the records before proclaiming that
"the National Assembly has not passed a single bill for the promotion of
anti-corruption war since it commenced business in July 2015". First, the
8th National Assembly was inaugurated on June 9, 2015 not July. Also, it is on
record that the Senate has passed the Whistle Blowers' Protection Bill, Witness
Protection Bill, Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill and the
Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency Bill.
"This man talks like a man who is constantly under the influence of
some substance and perhaps possessed as he employs the language of a tout with
no civility. He is probably constantly excited and incensed by the fact of
having his first opportunity to find himself in the corridors of power.
" He pontificates and talks as if the war against corruption of the
Buhari administration depends solely on him to survive. He once publicly
attacked the Attorney General of the Federation and accused him of not doing
enough to prosecute the war. In the Lagos speech, he took a blanket swipe at
the judiciary and rubbished that entire institution which he as a lawyer has
the professional, ethical and constitutional duty to respect.
"This is a man who cannot stand for Councilorship election and win.
We challenge him to state what his contributions are in the election of our
amiable President, Muhammadu Buhari and what new ideas he has contributed to
making the fight against corruption more effective since his appointment. With
an easily excited man like him as head of an advisory body, the nation has
continued to lose anti-corruption cases in courts due to the failure of his
advices. He needs to do more work and talk less because media prosecution
cannot win the war on corruption", Abdullahi stated.
The Senate therefore called on the President to caution Sagay and stop
him from further creating needless tension in the relationship between the
executive and the legislature.
Signed
Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi
Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs
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