Listen, fellow Nigerians. Our very distinguished senators and highly honourable House members of the 10th National Assembly have asked us to sing a “new song” about them. Why they want us to do this is that we don’t seem to appreciate the big favour they are doing us by leaving their sweet wives and sweeter kids at home to come to Abuja to answer our ‘call’ to duty. Otherwise, why should we question the propriety of they pinching a mere N70 billion to compensate for the removal of fuel subsidy and another merer N40 billion to buy flashy cars for themselves?
The senator who humbled himself to respond to the impertinence of self appointed (not elected) civil society groups was Yemi Adaramodu (APC – Ekiti South), chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs. Justifiably angry, he said “the socio-political space has been inundated with spurious, inaccurate and irreverent misinterpretations.” The truth, according to him, is that the N70bn appropriated was meant to give the National Assembly edifice a new look. A “facelift” was what he called it.
Then Adaramodu went to a great length to explain why the assembly complex needed a touch of makeup. He said, “A visit to the suites, offices and the general structures of the National Assembly Complex would reveal a yawning gap and the need for exigent attention. Many Senators had to bring their chairs, tables and electronics and, in many cases, do sundry repairs. The so much debated allocation will not be paid to any legislators. This will be managed by the National Assembly’s bureaucracy.
“It’s pertinent to also note that the National Assembly complex does not house only the Legislators. There are thousands of workers and service providers, whose working environment needs a face-lift, and/with necessary tools. Since the Assembly Complex is not owned by legislators who are merely political birds of passage, such an allocation cannot be termed by anyone as a palliative to the legislators. The alleged padding of the palliative budget by the National Assembly only exists in the minds of those who are all out to discredit the 10th Assembly. There is nothing like padding as is being alleged by some misinformed media outfits. We wish to urge fellow compatriots to see the National Assembly as partners in the progress of Nigeria. The National Assembly is the soul of democracy and the 10th Senate shall join hands with other arms of government and our forward-looking Nigerians to sing new songs of progress, development, safety and all-round economic recovery and growth.”
Let’s attempt a summary of Adaramodu’s grand defence. 1. The money in question is not a gift to federal lawmakers. 2. The National Assembly complex “reveals a yawning gap” (in repairs) and there is “need for exigent attention.” 3. Senators have had, on occasions, to carry out repairs themselves. 4. The seventy billions will not go to individual lawmakers who don’t own the building but to the National Assembly bureaucracy to effect the repairs. 5. There are some people, including “misinformed media outfits”, who are “all out to discredit the 10th National Assembly.” Then came the assignment for you and me to join them in singing “new songs of progress, development, safety and all-round economic recovery and growth.”
Adaramodu’s “new songs” notion is a reference to Psalms 98:1. Here the psalmist urges: “O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.” He is asking God’s people to sing a new song of praise to God for his goodness and mercy, for “marvellous things” God has done. Surely, Adaramodu is saying he and his fellows in the NA richly deserve a thank you from us for the good life they have given us in the one month plus they have been in office! Of course, there is no denying that they are doing “marvellous things” for us and we can’t and mustn’t begrudge them their reward! It is our duty to give them a “new song”, isn’t it? The lawmaker, as oga, understands governance the Nigerian way. He should, firstly, allocate to himself resources like chairs, tables, brooms, cars – even in lean times such as we’re in now. The master eats at the table while the knave picks up the crumbs that fall from it. This is the “new song” of “all-round economic recovery and growth” our lawmakers demand from us. Shi kenan.
