“If our people lose the courage to confront what is wrong then we become collaborators.”
- Jerry Rawlings
“It does not require a majority to Prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds.”
- Samuel Adams
Objective:
Raise awareness about the disconnect between legislators and Nigerians and freedom of information requests to mark the International Right to Know Day (September 28).
469 men & women represent 170 million Nigerians.
Date: Thursday, September 26
Venue: National Assembly, Abuja
Similar protests to state assemblies in Lagos, Ilorin and Benin. More might be added.
Demands:
Peaceful march to the National Assembly with five demands, which are:
- 1. Immediate disaggregation of the National Assembly’s 2013 allocation of N150 billion.
Most Nigerians believe the entirety of the allocation goes to salaries for 469 people. Various members of NASS have publicly stated that this is false though some have also anonymously stated that they are overpaid.
| SENATOR | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE MEMBER | |
| Estimated salary per year | N400 million | N300 million |
| Estimated salary per month | N33.3 million | N25 million |
| Salary per month from RMAFC* | N1.42 million | N1.25 million |
*Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) 2009 Report
The Economist magazine recently released a study showing that Nigerian parliamentarians are the highest paid in the world relative to GDP.
In a country where 71.5% of the population live under the poverty line (N300), their allowances are obscene.
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The last disaggregated budget was in 2010 and it included some atrocious expenses. A summary table is below.
| LINE ITEM | BUDGET |
| Security Vote for Senate | N1.259 billion |
| Refreshments & Meals | N1.156 billion |
| Senate Admin | N2.289 billion |
| Programmed Activities | N9 billion |
| Total Goods & Non-Personal Services – General | N31.742 billion |
- 2. An account of income and expenditure of the over N1 trillion the National Assembly has been allocated since 2005.
There is a subsisting court judgement on this issue and our representatives in the National Assembly owe it those they represent to give an account of their use of our common wealth.
- 3. Make available functional email addresses, phone numbers and constituency office addresses for all members of the National Assembly.
Nigerian citizens should be able to reach their representatives.
- 4. ALL voting records on ALL the constitutional amendments made public.
Aside from the voting record on Section 29 4(b), none of the other records have been made public. For all Nigerians who are engaged in this review process, we deserve to know if our representatives voted in line with our wishes.
- 5. Attendance list for each plenary made public.
Pictures and videos from both chambers show considerable truancy. Nigerian citizens would like to know when their representatives attend plenaries.
Furthermore, ASUU is on strike to enforce an agreement. The Federal Government is looking for N87 billion. Based on available data, CJET under the Citizens’ Wealth Platform estimates that the National Assembly can operate with N25 billion per year. So, for the 2014 Budget, the Federal Government will have an extra N125 billion, from which they can honor their agreement with ASUU!
We have every intention to be orderly and peaceful as we ask #OurNASS.
Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE Nigeria), Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth & Advancement (YIAGA), Reclaim Naija (Community Life Project), Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund, Say No Campaign
Freedom of Information Coalition, Beacons, SleevesUp, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Centre for Policy Advocacy and Leadership Development, Youth Alliance on Constitution & Electoral Reform, United Action for Democracy, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Original Inhabitants Descendants Association of Abuja (OIDA).
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