PORT HARCOURT — LEGISLATORS erupted in anger yesterday at what they saw as President Olusegun Obasanjo’s double standards in the affairs of the country asking him to remove the log in his eyes for him to see the speck in others’ eyes.
The legislators were reacting to a keynote address delivered by the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili who in her speech had lauded the federal government over its introduction of the due process saying it was one way to check abuse of the public coffer.
She spoke glowingly of the due process, saying "it was because of abuse of the public coffer that informed Mr. President to come up with the principle of transparency."
She noted she was often asked by citizens why the Federal Government had not implemented due process at the state level and she said it was the responsibility of the state legislature to make the executive branch to implement due process in the different states.
Dr. Ezekwesili reeled out names of states that have sought advice from the Federal Government on the due process saying they voluntarily sought advice.
The states according to her, are Ondo, Kwara, Kebbi, Bauchi, Benue and Edo.
She was of the view that the Federal Government exercises fiscal responsibility saying, "the Fiscal Responsibility Bill is something our nation is in dire need of. Brazil has had to go
through the rate of fiscal responsibility act. But it did that after it had suffered a fall."
Dr. Ezekwesili explained that it was the "activities of the provinces (or states) that was unchecked by their legislators that dragged Argentina to the mud."
After her oratorical speech and it was question time, legislator after legislator chided President Olusegun and the Federal Government for their hypocrisy.
A legislator from Lagos State, Bayo Odulana said: "The Federal Government should stop confusing our policemen, they should stop debarring the police from doing their duty. Is it due process that made the Anambra Governor, Dr. Chris Ngige to be abducted?"
Another legislator described President Olusegun as the problem of the country.
When it appeared the questions and contributions were tending towards the abuse of the President, chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi explained that it was a workshop and that people were exercising their freedom of speech.
He therefore appealed to the press not to report the unsavoury things said about the president.
Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly, Patrick Obahiagbon erupted in anger. In voluptuaries language, he said the press should not be gagged.
"Why wasn’t Ghali Na’Abba for instance given a second chance at the House of Representatives. It was because he tried to assert separation of powers."
Obahiagbon said the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo suffered the same fate.
When the master of ceremony tried to stop Obahiagbon from his ascerbic attacks, the Edo legislator queried: "Is it due process to stop me from speaking?
