NASS amends constitution to give politicians salary-for-life

On Wednesday, February 18, while Nigerian troops were at war with Boko Haram insurgents, some politicians converged to approve salary-for-life… for some politicians.

The National Assembly has completed the amendment of the 1999 Constitution, where life pension was approved for anybody who has been President or Vice President, Senate President or Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The only clause in the amendment is that beneficiaries of the pension must be those who successfully concluded their terms in office without removal or impeachment.

The amended constitution was presented as motion to the floor of the Senate by the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, for transmission to the president for approval.

The amendment also made it mandatory for the president to appear once a year before the joint sitting of the National Assembly to deliver an address in respect of the state of the nation.

The amended Clause read: “Any person who has held office as President or Deputy President of the Senate, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall be entitled to pension for life at a rate equivalent to the annual salary of the incumbent President or Deputy President of the Senate, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, provided that such a person was not removed from office by the process of impeachment or for breach of any of the provisions of this Constitution.”

“The president shall attend a joint meeting of the National Assembly once a year to deliver an address in respect of the state of the nation. He may attend any joint meeting of the National Assembly, either to deliver an address on national affairs including fiscal measures, or to make such statement on the policy of government as he considers to be of national importance.”