IBRAHEEM MUHAMMAD
The Treasurer of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, ( NPN ), Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim has identified the increasing voter apathy bedeviling the political process to the jumbo pay package of politicians, especially the legislative members of the parliament.
The politician told First News in Abuja that, ” The selfish increment of the pay package of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives is an anomaly to the development of democracy in Nigeria.
” It is undemocratic for politicians, especially members of the legislature to be increasing their pay package while the electorates are in abject poverty.
“It should be noted that they have been increasing their salary and allowances from 1999 to date without due process and without the conscience they could not implement the lowest salary of 30,000 Naira minimum wage for civil servants.
” This is one of the reasons why the majority of our electorates have been experimenting voter apathy at local Government elections and bye elections in some states”. He said.
Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim said, that it is wrong for any Politician to keep quiet due to the increasing lost of confidence on the elected leaders by the electorates because of their selfish aggrandisement instead of selflessness towards uplifting the people first before personal self.
According to him, the leaders of the first and second republics were selfless and have the zeal to develop the country despite belonging to different Political parties and other backgrounds.
The elderstatesman called on the politicians to abide by the constitutional provisions guiding their salaries and allowances, avoid the wrath of the people and work for the improvement of the country evenly.
Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim called on the Judiciary to be proactive in outlining the role of the executive, legislature and judiciary for the benefit of the country.