Senate not threatened by public outcry on salary
The leadership of
the Senate on Wednesday said it was not threatened by the public outcry
over the fat salaries and allowances of members.
Ayogu Eze, Senate committee chairman on information and media, made the statement while briefing reporters in Abuja.
“We don’t feel
threatened because the people have the constitutional right to make
whatever comments they are making against us as their representatives.
The constitution guarantees freedom of speech, and Nigerians are free
to make comments regarding what we do as legislators.
“We are not above
Nigerians, and as their representatives, they are free to ask us
questions. But such comments should be constructive and based on
facts,” Mr. Eze said.
He said that the
National Assembly was ready to lead the way to sensitise the system if
Nigerians were ready and prepared to fight corruption.
“But we are saying
let such war be holistic and let us wake up as a nation to do what is
right. If Nigerians are saying salaries are too high, we are ready for
a review, but let such review of salaries not be a selective exercise,
but a holistic one,” he said.
On the delay of the submission of the 2011 budget proposal, he said
that the National Assembly could not compel the executive to do
otherwise.
Leave a Reply