Senate speaks amid claims of N21 million monthly salaries for senators

The Nigerian Senate has firmly rejected claims that its members receive a monthly salary and allowances totaling N21 million each.

Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu, representing Ekiti South, addressed the issue on Thursday in response to comments made by fellow Senator Sumaila Kawu.

In a recent interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa Service, Kawu had claimed that he received N21 million monthly in salary and allowances. This statement sparked public outcry and prompted the Senate to issue a clarification.

The Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mohammed Shehu, also weighed in, stating that each senator’s official monthly salary and allowances total N1,063,860.

In a personally signed statement, Adaramodu clarified that the amount mentioned by Kawu likely included running costs, which are separate from senators’ salaries and personal allowances. He emphasized that these running costs are not unique to the legislature and are intended for the operation of senators’ offices, including expenses for constituency staff and other official activities.

Adaramodu stressed that these funds are not personal allowances or salaries but are strictly for official use. “Such funds are retired by relevant officers after being used for official purposes and proof of genuine expenditure,” he explained.

The Senate spokesperson also addressed concerns about the perception of wasteful spending within the legislative body. He highlighted that the Nigerian Senate is composed of accomplished professionals, administrators, and industry leaders who are motivated by a commitment to national service rather than financial gain.

“The Nigerian Senate is an assembly of accomplished and successful professionals, administrators, and captains of industry, who are not driven by these often-touted egregious pecuniary bits, but rather by their patriotic zeal in the nation’s quest to breathe life into Nigeria’s political and socio-economic dry bones,” Adaramodu concluded.