The Senate has dismissed claims made by the lawmaker representing Kano South, Sen Kawu Sumaila, that each serving senator receives N21 million monthly in salaries and allowances.
This clarification came in response to Sumaila’s recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service, where he asserted that this was his monthly take-home pay.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC Ekiti South), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, addressed the claims, emphasizing that the National Assembly only receives about 1% of the federal budget. He clarified that the amount mentioned by Senator Sumaila is not a personal salary or allowance, but rather funds allocated for the daily running of senatorial offices, including oversight functions and constituency engagements.
Adaramodu explained that these funds are part of the annual budget and are subject to retirement by relevant officers after being used for official purposes. He reiterated that the funds are not static and are not for personal use by the senators.
He said;
“The National Assembly receives about 1% of the federal budget and has never exceeded this, even when the non-availability of funds is pervasive. For the umpteen time, the Senate is compelled to react to the obsolete allegations of a phantom salary and personal emoluments spuriously credited to Senators monthly.
“The Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission, the agency of government that fixes political officials’ salaries and allowances, has duly disclosed the monthly personal take-home of Senators.
“However, all arms of Government and their personnel, Governors, Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Directors-General, State Commissioners, even Boards and parastatals, including local government councils run their activities with running costs and the National Assembly is not an exemption.
“Thus the money referred to by Senator Kawu Sumaila is neither his salary nor personal allowance. ‘It’s for the daily running of offices by Senators and other attached statutory officials. It equally provides funds for Constituency office staff. It is also for oversight functions and community engagements.
“These funds are not static and it’s provided for in the annual budget. Such funds are retired by relevant officers after being used for official purposes and proof of genuine expenditure. It’s not a personal allowance or salary of the legislator.
“The National Assembly receives about one per cent of the federal budget and has never exceeded this, even when the non-availability of funds is pervasive.
“The Nigerian Senate is an Assembly of accomplished and successful professionals, administrators and captains of industries, who are not driven by these often touted egregious pecuniary bits, rather for their patriotic zeal in the nation’s quest to breathe life to Nigeria’s political and socio-economic dry bones.”
The clarification follows a previous statement by the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mohammed Shehu, who had disclosed that each senator receives a total of N1,063,860 in monthly salary and allowances.
