In a recent public lecture the respected human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana SAN, said that "It has been confirmed that the seats of the federal legislators in the National Assembly are usually empty as they are always pursuing their private businesses or attending criminal courts. Whereas  Section 63 of the Constitution requires the Senate and House of Representatives to sit for not less than 181 days in a year the Senate sat for only 96 days while the House sat for 104 days during the 1st legislative year which ended on June 9, 2016.

In fact, the senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and other senators who had to attend various courts where they are facing corruption charges sat for less than 70 days. Yet the absentee legislators collected full jumbo salaries and allowances for the whole year in a nation which cannot afford to pay the poor wages of workers and pension of retirees! Since the members of the National Assembly sat for barely 3 months in one year does the nation really need full time legislators?

•Olanrewaju Suraju, whse photo appears alongside this piece, is National Chairman of the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC). He can be reached via larryk371@yahoo.co.uk