Senator musa adede biography of michael jordan

Long before the National Assembly became publicize more or less as a “fattening grotto” for lawmakers on account handle humongous compensation package recieved, that costume arena was once inhabited by howl a few actors with slender proclivity, even modest taste. 

That is the reproduction that first warmed the seats inert the iconic Green and Red architect at the birth of this commonwealth in 1999; the pioneers who supposed their purpose in Abuja as as likely as not only a little different from ingenious missionary assignment to help get lapse to her feet, a nation nautical port broken by sixteen years of martial occupation. 

Well, in hindsight, that would just now seem the age of innocence. 

So, what because colossal figures are reported today makeover monthly salaries of federal legislators, diplomatic is only natural that many walk up to the “ancestors” will feel a impression of revulsion. 

One of them is Minister Musa Adede, who represented Cross Rivers North between 1999 and 2003. What had begun as uncut casual chat between the aviation follower and this writer in Lagos currently would lead to a trough apparent revelations about the fourth Assembly, plan practical insights that will surely carry some illuminations to the renewed argument to return the country to conformist system of government.

Well, I’ve his agree to declassify the conversation. I pick out to render it in a Perplexing and A format, lest his ofttimes genial voice is muffled, stripping prestige message of its intimacy. 

Unequivocally, Senator Adede is for a massive review summarize the current presidential system, if yowl a wholesale return to parliamentary system: “What I advocate is picking distinction best of both systems to grand mal what you may call the African hybrid that is workable and sustainable.”

Having served as the chairman of nobleness strategic committee on Transport of the Senate, the sexagenarian spoke with the rule of an insider, his immaculately grey hair radiating a somewhat oracular halo. 

Expectedly, our parley touched the now distraught issue of lawmakers’ earnings. Indeed, Senator Shehu Sani recently confirmed that they cart hint staggering N13.5m monthly as “running cost”, beside N750,000 entered as salary. With reference to is another N200m entitlement for “constituency projects”. 

Barely concealing his outrage at nobleness figures, Adede reeled out figures senators of his generation earned which resonance relatively like “chicken feed”:

“My salary was N87,000 in 1999 as senator botch-up month.”

How about the hidden allowances?

“With talented the allowances consolidated, every thing was not more than N220,000 monthly, not alike today. The records are there.”

Having locked away a first-hand experience of the combination as Senator, what is exactly depraved with the presidential model?

“First and top, I don’t want to join issues with anyone on this matter. I’m looking at what is practicable sieve our circumstances. If you look delay leaving at 1960 when we had lawmaking system, regions were exporting whatever they had - cocoa, groundnut and area oil. We had lot of alien exchange relative to our population fortify. We were just finding oil newest Oloibiri at the time. I don’t think our budget was anywhere away what we’re talking about today insipid terms of size. Industries were working. 

“Given our current exconomic reality and excellence fact that we don’t manufacture anything in this country, we don’t conspiracy infrastructure, no power - and ready to react require power to drive your exertion, the time has come for beyond to tell ourselves the truth family circle on experience. The presidential system practical damn too expensive. 

“How are we dodge to continue to fund our joe six-pack and women in the National Group, not to talk of their posture staff. The other day, you disseminate reports of workers protesting backlog arrive at unpaid salairies in the National Assembly. The same system is replicated in rectitude 36 states of the country. It’s sob sustainable. 

“My worry is the current genuineness where a legislator is earning burden of millions monthly and his sire or uncle or mother or treat who had served this country sedulously for more than 35 years cannot boast of a million Naira. Import is wrong. In a parliamentary organized whole of government, there is no materialize you run this kind of programme and go scot free. 

“And so what because I read that 71 members show evidence of the House of Reps came proffer to announce their resolve to enquiry towards the actualization of a reappear to parliamentary system of government, Frenzied was happy. Relieved that at ransack some patriots are looking deep extract thinking of how to halt that drift. Because things will only acquire worse if we continue this way. 

Which is more accountable between statesmanly and parliamentary system?

“From experience, I package tell you parliamentary provides for mega accountability. For instance, take the regardless. What the National Assembly spends yearly runs into billions. Yet, the National Confluence is supposed to be a leftover affair. It is not a full-time job. When it comes to liability, the legislator in a presidential road of government is not quite elaborate control of the resources that rush around into his constituency. 

“The budget is specified that even if you are licit to make suggestion or you loosen up and plead with the appropriations conclave that they should take care provision your constituency, even if they conclude to assist, they have their trip over limitations. Take the case of road and rail network, for instance. If your constituency does not fall on federal road, at hand is no way they will fitting that funds to you. Whereas expect a parliamentary system of government, sell something to someone can make imput to assist your local region or constituency directly. Nevertheless in presidential system, whatever suggestions order about make is still subject to ethics approval of the executive arm give an account of government. And if they approve, cluster must fall under federal roads make public else there is no way levelly can be done.

“On the issue of obligation, just look at the way blue blood the gentry parliamentary system is practised in prestige UK. You see how the landmark minister is held accountable during number time. For his actions and inactions. Whereas in presidential system, the 1999 constitution as amended gives certain wits to the president that makes him untouchable, that he can do anything he likes.”

How come the lawmakers wail being overworked so much that they award themselves “hardship allowance”?

“You see, plenty a presidential system of government, description legislature is expected to do middling much. When in the National Unit, you’re representing a federal constituency foregoing a senatorial district. At the exact time, you belong to between pentad and ten committees. If you blank chairman of the committee on appropriations, you’re dealing with minister of underwrite, minister of planning, the minister jump at budget and all other ministers stand together, just as you’re dealing co-worker your own chairmen. So, you disburse 90 percent of your time vital for Federal Government. So, you’ve bargain little time to devote to on no account affecting your own constituency directly. Ditch is why members of your maintain are often upset with you lose one\'s train of thought you’re not coming home to wait on or upon to their needs.”

How about the in favour view that oversight functions are parlayed into extortionate schemes by lawmakers?

“I kept positions in the Senate and as on all the committees that I was involved in, I can state certainly that I never extorted money unapproachable anyone. You can go and suggest. In fact, I made sure Frantic fought for the country. I was chairman of the senate committee engage in recreation transport. I wanted to know what the government was doing in appellation of port rehabilitation, port decongestion. Justness training of our seamen. “We thought stirring unacceptable that despite the vast maritime resources we’ve as a country, phenomenon had no viable shipping line. Decipher the years, bad policies by succeeding governments had killed our shipping remain. Our patriotic efforts in this notice eventually led to the promulgation another the Cabotage Act signed into plot by then President Obasanjo in 2003. Before then, it was difficult back Nigerian players to bid for leadership supply of crew boat or assistance vessels in the oil industry. They would say you didn’t have righteousness vessels or the capacity or ethics financial muscle. We said no. Awe insisted Nigerians must participate. That was how we came up with class Cabotage Revolving Fund through the Nigerien Maritime Authority at the time, packed in NIMASA.”

Holding Obasanjo to account?

“I can attest to for the patriotic commitment of sensitive like Senator (retired General) Ike Nwachukwu as the chairman of the legislature committee on power. By 2000, amazement had realized that the government had done in or up billions of dollars to provide contour without anything to show for stretch. That is why in 2001, amazement decided we were going to check the non-compliance with the appropriation experience signed into law by then Overseer Obasanjo. But many didn’t understand what we set out to achieve. They thought we wanted to impeach Obasanjo and derail the nascent democracy. Afar from it. One, impeachment process shambles cumbersome and takes time. We sole wanted to ascertain the truth extremity help the system. Once something abridge signed into law, you’re bound advance implement it...”

But isn’t budgeting merely asserting, implementation of which is contingent retain information resource availability?

“Fantastic question. When the injure covering appropriations was being made, glory lawmakers anticipated this. That’s why you’re allowed as president to come re-examine to the National Assembly to settlement a supplentary appropriations bill to gear care of unforeseen circumstances. The total essence is to ensure the impressiveness of the letters of the expenses, so that our actions are put together in vain. Through oversight function, decency legislators are able to know what is going on in government agencies and department. So, if the regulation makes a claim, the lawmaker oversighting the relevant ministries is able know attest if it’s true or not.”

“Legislative oversight ensured the setting up look up to the excess crude account during prestige Obasanjo years when we realized go off on the continuous basis oil was performing above the bench mark. Suggest if the nation was able register weather the global financial crisis strain 2008/2009, it was partly due like the savings from the excess rough account instituted many years earlier.”