Nigerian Senate Faces Fresh Scrutiny Over Members’ Salaries and Allowances

A new controversy has erupted in Nigeria’s National Assembly, with the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) urging the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to disclose the “exact amount of monthly running costs” allocated to members of the National Assembly.

In a statement signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation requested that the leaders provide an account of the spending details of any such running costs, citing concerns over the opacity in the spending of millions of naira by lawmakers.

The request follows recent controversy surrounding the “jumbo pay” received by each senator, with a former senator, Shehu Sani, claiming that senators receive a monthly running cost of N13.5 million in addition to a N750,000 salary. However, this claim was faulted by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

SERAP’s request is aimed at promptly ending the alleged practice by the National Assembly of fixing its salaries, allowances, and running costs, in conformity with the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and the country’s international obligations. The organisation also advised the NASS leaders to put an end to the alleged practice of paying running costs into the personal accounts of lawmakers and to report any alleged misuse or mismanagement of the running costs to the appropriate anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution.

The statement partly read: “We are concerned about the practice by lawmakers of fixing their salaries, allowances, and running costs, and the opacity in the spending of millions of naira in running costs by lawmakers… The constitutional oath of office of lawmakers requires them to ensure transparency and accountability in the exact amounts of salaries, allowances, and running costs they receive.”

On Wednesday, Senator Sumaila Kawu, representing Kano South, revealed that he earns over N21 million monthly as a total take-home package, which comes barely 24 hours after the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission stated that each of the 109 senators in the upper chamber receives a total of N1.06 million in salary and allowances per month.

Kawu’s claim was, however, denied by the Senate on Thursday. The denial has sparked further controversy, with many Nigerians calling for transparency in the salaries and allowances of lawmakers.

In the statement, SERAP noted that due accountability and the return of any “misused or mismanaged running costs collected by” NASS members would “build trust in democratic institutions and strengthen the rule of law,” allowing lawmakers to effectively discharge their constitutional and statutory responsibilities.

The organisation warned that failure to act on its recommendations within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of the letter would be met with “appropriate legal actions to compel you and other members of the National Assembly to comply with our request in the public interest.”