By Haruna Salami
National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum, NASLAF has threatened to drag the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara to the Economic and Financial Commission, EFCC if their allowances of N5.8 billion are not paid quickly.
Addressing protesting NASLAF members at the Lobby of the National Assembly Tuesday, Sam Melaye, president of the group said they will shut down the National Assembly if all their demands are not met before the resumption of the National Assembly on September 25, 2018 in addition to sending a petition against National Assembly leadership to EFCC.
“The EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu will be very ready to receive a petition from NASLAF against the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Clerk to the National Assembly”, he said.
According to Melaye, his members are owed N5.8 billion of unpaid duty tour allowance, DTA and training allowances. He said the leaders of NASLAF met Saraki five days ago who told them he was not responsible for their plight, but directed them to the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani-Omolori and Sani-Omolori passed the buck back to Saraki who is the Chairman of the National Assembly.
Amidst solidarity songs the NASLAF members said “we are aides, not slaves”.
Melaye finally led his executive members to register their grievances with Nelson Ayewo, Acting Clerk to the National Assembly who pleaded with them for more time. The current recess by the legislators made it impossible for the protesters to meet Saraki, Dogara and even the CNA in their offices Tuesday.