EX LAWMAKERS DECRY NON-PAYMENT OF ENTITLEMENTS 31 YEARS AFTER 06-12-23
By Sadiq Aminu Former lawmakers under the aegis of Third Republic Forum, have decried the non payment of their entitlements 31 years after their exit from the parliament.
The leader of the forum Mr Basil Okafor, made the observation when the forum honoured one of its still serving members Mr Fred Agbedi from Bayelsa state, in the house of Representatives.
According to him, the third republic was cut short by military intervention few months after its innaugation, leaving them without any form of entitlement.
Mr Okafor appealed to President Bola Tinubu, who is one of them, to ensure the payment of their outstanding entitlements that cut across the two Chambers of the National Assembly.
Another member of the forum, Hajia Amina Aliyu, who is one of the initiators of the ministry of women affairs, disclosed that out of 593 initial members, over 250 have died.
She explained that the assistance to members of the forum by Fred Agbedi is what prompted them to honour him with an award as a foremost democrat.
“To honour this man that has been struggling to fight for our rights and the rights of other Nigerians. If Abiola and Kingibe were being honoured and recognized, we are the foot soldiers. We are the delegates that voted them into power. What about us? Why can we not be honoured and paid our salaries and outstanding.
“We are calling on the government, Asiwaju the president and head of state, is one of us. He is our product of the Third republic House of Representatives and he is a friend of Fred Agbedi. We are all together. We are crying out. We have been crying in silence.
Responding, Mr Fred Agbedi canvased for the deepening of democracy through transparent elections.
Agbedi also urged the present administration to ensure the payment of the members of the third republic legislature entitlements.