Mr Wole Oke, a five-term member of the House of Representatives representing Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency of Osun State has dismissed the notion held by Nigerians that the National Assembly is corrupt as wrong.
He stated this in an interview with a Punch correspondent while Fielding answers to questions on how the 9th National Assembly plans to redeem its image as the Headquarters of corruption.
In response, the fifth term lawmaker said what he earns as a lawmaker is peanut compared to what he earns as a private businessman.
In his words, “I will disagree with you that we have corruption in the National Assembly. I’ve been privileged to be here since 2003, I will disagree with you. What I earn as salary in the National Assembly is open. What I earn as running costs is open.
“And anybody who knows me too well will know that what I earn as salary and as running costs are peanuts compared to what I can earn from my private engagements.”
“My salary, when you take away the taxes, is N606, 000. I have the payment voucher, I can publish it, running costs amount to N8.5m.
“How much is N8.5m to me as a person? If you have to embark on research, looking at all the bills that I have sponsored in the House, you will see that those bills that I sponsored are not ones you can just come by anyhow; they are not bills that you pick on the shelve.
Oke submitted that in a bid to correct this notion, the National Assembly must operate an open-door policy, a situation where they would have their medium for information dissemination.
“In advanced countries like the United States, they have a television channel that is dedicated to parliamentary activities. We can have a radio station or a channel. Citizens must have access to information about the National Assembly”, He said.
