BREAKING: I won’t approve 2021 budget without provisions for #EndSARS victims, ASUU – Gbajabiamila

Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila

Leke Baiyewu, Abuja

The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila , has said he will not sign the 2021 Appropriation Bill presently before the National Assembly if provisions are not made for the compensation of the families of victims of police brutality in the last decade .

Gbajabiamila also said he would also not sign the budget if implementation of the agreement between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government is not captured by the budget.

Both the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate sign bills passed by the National Assembly before they are transmitted to the President for assent .

In his opening remarks at the plenary on Tuesday , the Speaker notes that the # EndSARS protests “have gotten more serious ” with pockets of violence in parts of the country. According to him , the protests “seem to have hijacked ” by those who have a different agenda .

Gbajabiamila noted that the Federal Government , through the National Human Rights Commission , had set up a panel of enquiry to take complaints from victims of police brutality.

According to the Speaker , none of these have convinced the agitators to suspend the protests.

He pointed out that expectations from the ruling class were high , stating that , “Our people expect action and we just deliver . ”

Gbajabiamila recalled that the House , after debating the issues with the Nigeria Police Force and the # EndSARS protests, met with the Nigerian Bar Association last week .

He said the President of NBA , Olumide Apata , had also set up a panel led by Prof Deji Adekunle ( SAN ) to work with the House on how to amend and create laws to reform the police .

The Speaker also disclosed that the House is considering the establishment of an independent body that investigate and recommends errant security operatives for sanction and prosecution . “The police cannot be above the citizens …and above the law,” he stated .

While threatening to withhold his signature to the appropriation bill , Gbajabiamila disclosed that he would be leading a delegation of lawmakers to pay condolence visits to families of some of those killed by the police , stressing that they would be honoured after the visits.

The Speaker , however , urged # EndSARS protesters to be cautious in handling the matter . He partly said, “ Don ’ t let your righteous cause be hijacked … and bring our nation to its needs … This is the time to move your agitation from the streets. ”

LIST OF WHAT NIGERIA YOUTH WANTS FEDERAL  GOVERNMENT TO DO BEFORE THEY CAN CALL OF THEIR PROTEST

1. END SARS

2. SACK SECURITY CHIEFS

3. IMPROVE SECURITY

4. FULL DEREGULATION OIL AND GAS

SECTOR TO ALLOW MORE INVESTMENTS FOR JOB CREATION

5. IMMEDIATE PASSAGE OF PIB

6. FULL DEREGULATION OF POWER SECTOR TO ALLOW INVESTMENT CAPITAL FLOW TO GENERATE, TRANSMIT AND DISTRIBUTE MORE POWER AND CREATE JOBS

7. SHOULD HANDS OFF PETROLEUM PRICING TO ENABLE FREE MARKET DETERMINATION OF PRICING

8. CLOSE OUR NORTHERN BORDERS TO STOP FREE ENTRY OF FULANI HERDSMEN AND BANDITS

9. INCLUSIVE GOVERNMENT FOR ALL TRIBES AND REGIONS OF NIGERIA WITH 50% YOUTHS IN CHARGE OF GOVERNANCE

10. ALLOCATE MORE FUNDS TO EDUCATION SECTOR TO PROVIDE BETTER TEACHING TOOLS AND TO PAY BETTER SALARIES TO END ASUU STRIKES

11. CHANGE OUR ACADEMIC CURRICULUM TO REFLECT MODERN DAY REALITIES

12. ALL POLITICIANS SHOULD BE PLACED ON MINIMUM WAGE TO ATTRACT GENUINE PUBLIC SERVANTS

13. MIGRATE TO 100% ELECTORAL REFORMS WITH ELECTRONIC VOTING TIED TO OUR BVN AND GSM

14. RETURN NIGERIA TO REGIONAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OR RESTRUCTURE THE COUNTRY AND EMBRACE TRUE FEDERALISM. STATES AUTONOMY MUST BE PARAMOUNT.

15. DISBAND THE BI-CAMERAL LEGISLATURE AND ADOPT UNI-CAMERAL

16. IMMEDIATELY REFORM NIGERIA POLICE FORCE AND LET EVERY STATE OR REGION CREATE ITS OWN POLICE SERVICE

17. NO MORE BUDGET FOR RUNNING PRIVATE AFFAIRS OF ELECTED AND APPOINTED PUBLIC SERVANTS

18. ENTHRONE UNIVERSITY EDUCATION AS MINIMUM QUALIFICATION FOR PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDERS AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT FROM PRESIDENT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WARD CHAIRPERSONS

19. STRIP EX-GOVERNORS AND ALL ELECTED AND APPOINTED PUBLIC SERVANTS OF ALL BENEFITS AFTER OFFICE.

20. INCREASE SALARIES OF OUR DOCTORS, NURSES, TEACHERS, POLICE, MILITARY OFFICERS, AND CIVIL SERVANTS

21. GOVERNMENT SHOULD HANDS OFF OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF BUSINESSES AT ALL LEVELS.

22. NAME AND SHAME LOOTERS AND MAKE CRIMINAL OFFENDERS, AND LOOTERS FACE TRIAL IN THEIR HOME STATES AND VILLAGES TO SHAME THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES

23. STOP FOREIGN MEDICAL TRIPS FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS. LET THEM BE TREATED HERE IN NIGERIA. WHEN LAST DID YOU HEAR AMERICAN PRESIDENT OR BRITISH PRIME MINISTER VISIT NIGERIA FOR MEDICAL TOURISM?

THE GOVERNMENT MUST ATTEND TO OUR DEMANDS BEFORE WE CAN STOP THE PROTEST BUT IF THEY SHOW DEAF EARS, WE WILL CONTINUE THE PROTEST AND THATS FINAL.