A member of the House of Representatives, Chinedu Obika, has revealed that one of his colleagues was unable to pay his daughter’s ₦700,000 school fees despite serving in the National Assembly.
Obika said he came to the colleague’s aid by paying the school fees after the lawmaker could not raise the money about two months ago.
Speaking during an interview on KAA Truths published on Thursday, the lawmaker representing AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency in the Federal Capital Territory said the incident contradicted the widespread belief that all members of the National Assembly are financially enriched by their positions.
According to him, the experience showed that many lawmakers do not enjoy the level of personal financial benefits often assumed by members of the public.
“Now let me tell you something you don’t know. I can tell you that about two months ago, a colleague of mine could not pay ₦700,000 for his daughter’s school fees, and I was the one who helped him get that done; a member!” he said.
Obika argued that lawmakers who remain silent during proceedings should not automatically be accused of receiving inducements, maintaining that some members simply have no personal gains from their offices.
“So if it’s about personal enrichment, that’s why members are not speaking. If you’re not getting anything, you’re not speaking.
“I have never seen that kind of thing in my life, in fact, one member fought over it. National Assembly members fight when good things go to them, not when they keep quiet. So outsiders think it’s when they keep quiet that something is wrong,” he said.
The federal lawmaker declined to reveal the identity of the colleague involved in the incident.
He also maintained that the allowances and benefits of members of the National Assembly are publicly known, urging Nigerians to question specific figures instead of relying on speculation about lawmakers’ earnings.
“Every entitlement meant for a member is publicly available. If you haven’t found something specific, tell me, ‘Honourable, they said this is such-and-such amount’, and I’ll respond to it directly.”
