NEWS
SERAP asks court to slash jumbo allowances for Buhari, Govs, NASS members
Precious ADELOLA
LAGOS-Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja “to order the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) to perform their statutory functions to review downward the remuneration and allowances of President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, 36 governors and members of the National Assembly.”
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari
SERAP is arguing that “slashing jumbo pay for these high-ranking political office-holders would reduce the unfair pay disparity between political officer holders and judicial officers, address the persistent poor treatment of judges, and improve access of victims of corruption to justice and effective remedies.”
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/658/2021 filed last Friday, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel the RMAFC to send its downward review of the remuneration and allowances of these high-ranking public office holders and recommendations to the National Assembly for appropriate remedial and legislative action, as provided for by the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended].”
SERAP is also seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel the RMAFC to perform its mandatory constitutional duty to urgently review upward the remuneration, salaries and allowances, as well as the conditions of service for Nigerian judges.”
Joined in the suit as Respondents are Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, for themselves, and on behalf of all members of the Senate and House of Representative; and the National Judicial Council.
SERAP is arguing that: “While high-ranking political office-holders continue to enjoy lavish allowances, including life pensions, and access to security votes, which they have powers to spend as they wish, the remuneration and allowances of judges are grossly insufficient to enable them to maintain themselves and their families in reasonable comfort.”
According to SERAP: “The huge pay disparity between these high-ranking political officer-holders and judges is unfair, unjust and discriminatory, especially given the roles of judges to the people and the country.”
SERAP is also seeking “an order of mandamus to direct and compel NSIWC to perform its mandatory legal duty to urgently examine, streamline and recommend upward remuneration and allowances of Nigerian judges, and to recommend downward review of allowances of President Buhari, Vice-President Osinbajo, 36 governors and lawmakers to the National Assembly.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Adelanke Aremo, read in part: “the remuneration and allowances of judges have fallen substantially behind the average salaries and allowances of high-ranking political office-holders such as President, Vice-President, governors and lawmakers.”
“While government reviewed upward the salaries and allowances of political office holders on four occasions between May 1999 and March 2011, the salaries and allowances of judicial officers were only reviewed twice during the same period.”
“The review of the remuneration, allowances, and conditions of service for political, public and judicial office holders carried out by the RMAFC in 2009 shows huge disparity between the remuneration and allowances of judges and those of high-ranking political office-holders.”
“The NSIWC in a letter to SERAP admitted that it has powers to examine, streamline and recommend the salary scales applicable to each post in the public service but informed us to redirect our request to the RMAFC.”
“There is a legal duty upon the RMAFC to urgently review downward the remuneration and allowances of high-ranking political office-holders.”
“Judges should get all to which they are reasonably entitled, and it is unfair, illegal, unconstitutional, and discriminatory to continue to treat judges as second-class people while high-ranking political office-holders continue to enjoy lavish salaries and allowances.”
“Despite their important roles and responsibilities, Nigerian judges are poorly treated, particularly when their remuneration, salaries, allowances, and conditions of service are compared with that of political office-holders. Judges should not have to endure the most poignant financial worries.”
“The increase in the cost of living and the injustice of inadequate salaries bears heavily on judges, as it undermines their ability to effectively perform their judicial functions.”
“The roles and functions performed by judges across the country are second to none in their importance, including in facilitating access of victims of corruption and human rights violations to justice and effective remedies.”
“As a safeguard of judicial independence, the budget of the judiciary ought to be prepared in collaboration with the judiciary having regard to the peculiar needs and requirements of judicial administration.”
“The remuneration and pensions of judges must be secured by law at an adequate level that is consistent with their status and is sufficient to safeguard against conflict of interest and corruption.”
“Nigerians would continue to bear the brunt of denied access to justice, a better judiciary and a better administration of justice until judges across the country are paid what they rightly deserve.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
In a worrying incident, a XEJET Airlines aircraft carrying 52 passengers veered off the runway at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos on Saturday, just 16 days after Dana Air was shut down by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities.
The Airbus, with registration number 5N-BZZ, departed from Abuja and landed in Lagos at 11:29 am.
However, it skidded off the runway of the domestic wing of the airport, prompting the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to shut down the 18/Left runway.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) confirmed the incident and is investigating the cause of the skid.
No injuries or fatalities were reported, and an investigation is ongoing.
Details later……..
Senator David Umahi, the Minister of Works, has announced his firm commitment to face the House of Representatives’ scrutiny regarding the contentious N15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway road project.
Umahi also revealed plans to broadcast the proceedings live on television, ensuring transparency and accessibility for all Nigerians.
Emphasizing the project’s integrity, Umahi affirmed that he and the Ministry of Works meticulously adhered to proper procedures, securing all requisite approvals and documentation prior to project initiation.
He said, “I am ready to face the National Assembly to defend the project. I will not want to say anything now till I meet with the Senators and House of Reps members. It will be live so you will also hear it. It will be live so that Nigerians will see it.
“When people say the project is on personal interest, there is a contradiction there. This is because Atiku Abubakar said the Jonathan administration wanted to do that project which would have cost about $12bn or so. So, whose interest was that administration promoting in trying to do that project?
“I have a design from the NDDC (Niger Delta Development Commission) on that project. The NDDC designs are quite bulky. When I was implementing this current project, I had to call for the design.
“There is no personal interest in this project. The idea of that project came from the ingenuity of Mr President (Bola Tinubu) when he was governor; he was the one who procured the right of way within the Lagos corridor and gazetted it.
“The reason for the project taking off now is all about how we can inject some activities into the economy. If we want to come out of inflation, we have to look at investments in infrastructure and that is what this project is addressing. It is addressing a lot of elements of return on investments. There is no personal interest associated with that.
“It is quite petty to ask why it is starting from Lagos and not Calabar. The name of the project is ‘Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road’ and not the other way around. This means there is a zero point, which happens to be at Ahmadu Bello Way, which coincides with the Eko Atlantic.”
On status of the project he opined “That is pure coincidence. We have started the project already and it is progressing. As of today, I can tell you that about 80 per cent of the first 1.3km is completed.”
The standoff between Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, intensified on Friday as police presence swelled at the House of Assembly quarters along Aba Road, Port Harcourt.
With approximately 30 officers securing both the primary and secondary entrances and an additional 25 patrol vans blocking other access points, the situation grew increasingly tense.
This development followed accusations by House Speaker Martins Amaewhule, who alleged Governor Fubara’s involvement in plans to demolish the legislative quarters.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara had made a surprise visit to the facility on Thursday afternoon, stating that he wanted to assess the premises following the appointment of a new Speaker.
He said, “Is the Assembly quarters not part of my property? Is there anything wrong in going to check how things are going on there?
“You are aware of the developments. We have a new Speaker, and I went there to see for myself how things are. There might be a few things I might want to do there for the good of our people.”
According to reports, after Amaewhule’s alarm, anti-Fubara lawmakers and certain All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains maintained a vigil around the estate until Friday.
Earlier, a Rivers court had restrained the Pro-Wike lawmakers from identifying themselves as legislators, declaring their seats vacant. Meanwhile, the ‘Sim Media Volunteers’ group, during a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Friday, urged the Inspector-General of Police to oversee police activities in the state and ensure adherence to rules of engagement.
Frank Kilsi, the Convener, expressed concern over the arrest and intimidation of the governor’s supporters by the police, warning that such actions could lead to anarchy.
Kilsi stated, “We call on the Inspector-General of Police to rein in his men and exercise restraint by stopping the unnecessary attack or wanton arrest on any of the governor’s supporters, as further harassment could lead to anarchy and breakdown of law and order that may not do our state any good.
“We, the youths of the state, under the aegis of SIM Media Volunteers do hereby emphasize the need for peace, justice and development in Rivers State.
“We implore all relevant stakeholders such as the citizens, political leaders, traditional institutions and law enforcement agencies, to ensure that the rights and freedom of the people are upheld and protected at all times.
“To this end, we would like to acknowledge and applaud the great youths of Rivers State for being peaceful and law-abiding even in the face of provocation”.
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