Senator Sumaila Kawu, who represents Kano South, has disclosed that he receives over ₦21 million monthly as part of his total compensation package.
This statement comes less than 24 hours after the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) revealed that each of the 109 senators receives a combined total of ₦1.06 million per month in salary and allowances.
RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu made this clarification in response to recent debates about the actual monthly earnings of lawmakers. According to Shehu’s figures, each senator’s annual earnings amount to ₦12.72 million, resulting in a total annual expenditure of ₦1.4 billion by the Federal Government for all senators.
Read Also: BREAKING: Revenue Commission Shares Breakdown Of Salary And Allowances Each Senator Earns Per Month
The detailed breakdown of monthly earnings for each senator includes a basic salary of ₦168,866.70, and allowances for motor vehicle fueling and maintenance (₦126,650.00), personal assistant (₦42,216.66), domestic staff (₦126,650.00), entertainment (₦50,660.00), utilities (₦50,660.00), newspapers/periodicals (₦25,330.00), wardrobe (₦42,216.66), house maintenance (₦8,443.33), and constituency allowance (₦422,166.66).
Shehu in the statement noted, “The commission also wishes to use this opportunity to state that any allegation regarding other allowance(s) being enjoyed by any political, public office holder outside those provided in the Remuneration (Amendment) Act, 2008 should be explained by the person who made the allegation.
“To avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts capable of misleading citizens and members of the international community, the commission considers it most appropriate and necessary to request Nigerians and any other interested party to avail themselves of the opportunity to access the actual details of the present remuneration package for political, public and judicial office holders in Nigeria published on its website: www.rmafc.gov.ng.”
In an interview with the British Broadcasting Hausa Service on Wednesday morning, Senator Kawu revealed that while his monthly salary is approximately ₦1 million, his total take-home pay amounts to ₦21 million. This figure significantly exceeds the amounts reported by the RMAFC.
Kawu said, “The amount of salary I receive per month is less than N1m, if there are cuts, it comes back to about six hundred thousand naira and a little something as salary.”
He mentioned that there are typically some deductions made by the RMAFC.
The topic of federal lawmakers’ salaries has sparked renewed controversy since last week. On Friday, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who served from 1999 to 2007, criticized lawmakers for setting their own salaries and benefits.
This remark came during a visit from six members of the House of Representatives, led by Ikenga UgoChinyere, who met with him in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
During the parley, Obasanjo said, “In your case, with all due respect, you’re not supposed to fix your salaries. But you decide what you pay yourself, the allowances that you give yourselves (including) newspaper allowances.
“You give yourselves all sorts of things, and you know it is not right. It is immoral, (yet) you are doing it, the Senate is doing it, and you are beating your chests about it. In some cases, the executive gives you what you’re not entitled to. You all got N200 million (each).”
Additionally, former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani had previously revealed that each senator receives a monthly running cost of ₦13.5 million, on top of the ₦750,000 monthly allowance specified by the commission.
Recall that on Sunday, the Senate issued a statement denying former President Obasanjo’s claims, calling them false.
