NASS is filled with rogues and armed robbers- Obasanjo
Tue Jul 26, 2016 08:18:am Politics
4.2K By Buchi Obichie
Addressing newsmen at the State House, Abuja, after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, former President Olusegun Obasanjo said the National Assembly was filled with rogues and armed robbers.
Obasanjo made his comments in the midst of the ongoing feud between lawmakers at the House of Assembly, as regards budget padding allegations.
The former President's comment elicited caustic responses from the legislators, who accused him of running a corrupt and killer regime that attempted tenure elongation, which they (lawmakers) scuttled.
Drawing first blood, Obasanjo said the lawmakers had vindicated comments he made in 2012 that the National Assembly was populated by rogues and armed robbers.
He advised President Buhari to be wary of the lawmakers, and urged Nigerians to vote credible people into parliament.
He said: "Well, if you said that I have said it in the past and if they are people who didn't believe what I said in the past, then you can now say that what has come out confirms what I said in the past, then you can say what I said in the past is what I will say now.
"It's not a question of investigation, we should get men and women of integrity into the place and the President should be very vigilant. Whatever should not pass should not pass."
In response to Obasanjo's comments yesterday, the Senate said it was not prepared to join issues with the former President.
In a text message, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi simply said: "Senate has no Comments."
But the Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP- Edo South), said that the former President must apologize profusely to the Senate.
He said: "I believe former President Obasanjo has premised his denigrating comment on the on-going sordid accusations on 2016 budget between Hon. Abdumumuni Jibrin, the erstwhile Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations and the leadership of the House of Representatives.
What is going on in the media is indeed disgraceful if actually the mentioned House members did the padding of the 2016 budget. I and others in the Senate deserve and demand unreserved apology from Chief Obasanjo for casting aspersions and denigrating our individual integrity and the institution we represent."
Obasanjo made his comments in the midst of the ongoing feud between lawmakers at the House of Assembly, as regards budget padding allegations.
The former President's comment elicited caustic responses from the legislators, who accused him of running a corrupt and killer regime that attempted tenure elongation, which they (lawmakers) scuttled.
Drawing first blood, Obasanjo said the lawmakers had vindicated comments he made in 2012 that the National Assembly was populated by rogues and armed robbers.
He advised President Buhari to be wary of the lawmakers, and urged Nigerians to vote credible people into parliament.
He said: "Well, if you said that I have said it in the past and if they are people who didn't believe what I said in the past, then you can now say that what has come out confirms what I said in the past, then you can say what I said in the past is what I will say now.
"It's not a question of investigation, we should get men and women of integrity into the place and the President should be very vigilant. Whatever should not pass should not pass."
In response to Obasanjo's comments yesterday, the Senate said it was not prepared to join issues with the former President.
In a text message, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi simply said: "Senate has no Comments."
But the Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP- Edo South), said that the former President must apologize profusely to the Senate.
He said: "I believe former President Obasanjo has premised his denigrating comment on the on-going sordid accusations on 2016 budget between Hon. Abdumumuni Jibrin, the erstwhile Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations and the leadership of the House of Representatives.
What is going on in the media is indeed disgraceful if actually the mentioned House members did the padding of the 2016 budget. I and others in the Senate deserve and demand unreserved apology from Chief Obasanjo for casting aspersions and denigrating our individual integrity and the institution we represent."
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