Nigerian-born U.S. legislator Beroro Efekoro criticizes the excessive salaries and allowances of Nigerian National Assembly members. He urges support for President Tinubu's administration but warns against a rubber-stamp legislature. Efekoro emphasizes transparency in subsidy savings and cautions against disconnecting from the Nigerian populace's growing frustrations.
A Nigerian-born U.S. legislator, Beroro Efekoro, who represents Albany County in New York's 7th District, has criticized the salaries and allowances received by Nigerian National Assembly members as excessively high. In a statement from New York on Thursday, Efekoro responded to ongoing controversy surrounding the compensation of Nigerian lawmakers.
The controversy erupted after claims surfaced that members of the National Assembly had set their salaries. This issue gained traction following a visit by some House of Representatives members to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Despite public outcry, the Senate recently denied that legislators set their pay.
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission clarified that each senator receives a monthly salary and allowances totaling N1.063 million. However, Efekoro dismissed this as a formality, suggesting that even the commission is aware that the official figures may not reflect the true earnings of the legislators.
Efekoro expressed concern over the growing disconnect between the government and the Nigerian populace, warning that while Nigerians may tolerate hardships for a time, they do not forget injustices.
The legislator also called on Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu's administration in its efforts to address the country’s challenges. However, he cautioned Senate President Godswill Akpabio against intimidating senators who seek to hold the president accountable, emphasizing that the National Assembly should not merely serve as a rubber stamp for the executive branch. He urged transparency from the government, particularly concerning savings from subsidy removal.
