Former member of the House Representatives, Dr. Haruna Yerima has alleged that most of the members of the National Assembly are bench-warmers and can never contribute to any form of legislative duties.
Yerima, who spoke at the 34th Aminu Kano Annual Memorial Symposium held in Kano, said: “I have a colleague who spent 12 years in the NASS but had never seconded a motion not to talk of moving it on the floor of the house.
“The problem is that most of our legislatures are attached to their governors and are dancing to their tunes.”
He insisted: “we have to make our legislative members and senators understand what democracy is all about. We have to make them understand the rules of the house and the constitution even if they cannot read and write.”
Dr. Yerima also alleged that former President Olusegun Obasanjo gave N50 million bribe to each member of the National Assembly that supported his third term bid, saying that some lawmakers accepted it, while others turned it down.
“In the House of Representatives, I was the only member who rejected the Obasanjo’s third term bid and that was what led to my exit from the House.”
He is sure that there is nothing anyone can do at the moment to stop corruption in the National Assembly. [myad]
