In his newly released book, “Nigeria Past and Future: Contemplations on Nigeria’s History and Vision for Tomorrow”, Obasanjo devoted a chapter to “Lawmakers at Federal and State Levels,” where he described legislators as “much worse” than those who served during the First, Second, and Third Republics.
According to the former president, the introduction of constituency projects by lawmakers at both the national and state levels is nothing short of “daylight unarmed robbery,” devised purely out of a “hunger for illegitimate money.”
How Lawmakers Resisted Anti-Corruption Reforms
Obasanjo recounted his struggles with the National Assembly while pushing for the establishment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He revealed that it took a year and a half for the EFCC bill to pass, and by the time it did, it had been “watered down” by legislators who feared prosecution after leaving office.
“Some of them said that if they passed the bill as I had sent it to them, most of them would go to jail after their term as lawmakers,” Obasanjo wrote.
The former president added that he reluctantly signed the diluted version of the bill after receiving hints that lawmakers expected him to veto it, a move that could have buried the legislation permanently.
He also cited the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) bill as another case where lawmakers allegedly accepted bribes from state governments, leading to the removal of state contributions from the agency’s funding structure.
‘Greed and Abuse of Power’
Obasanjo accused the legislature of violating constitutional provisions on remuneration, claiming they awarded themselves “obscene salaries and allowances,” making them among the highest paid lawmakers in both developing and developed nations.
He disclosed that during his presidency, he often withheld funds he considered excessive, even when threatened with impeachment.
“If they had the power to abuse their authority and breach the law and the Constitution, I had the power to hold the purse,” he said.
Constituency Projects and Oversight Abuse
The former president reserved his harshest words for constituency projects, which he claimed distorted the national budget and deepened deficits.
“Constituency projects by lawmakers at national or state levels are daylight unarmed robbery. All involved must be treated as criminals,” Obasanjo wrote.
He alleged that in the past, legislators disguised such projects through ministries and agencies, often in collusion with officials. But under recent administrations, he said, the practice had become brazen and unchecked.
Obasanjo further accused lawmakers of exploiting oversight visits to extort funds from ministries, parastatals, and commissions.
“They have a committee for each ministry or parastatal. They visit the projects purely only to collect money. It is shockingly bad,” he lamented.
