A former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has said that he has been vindicated after Senator Sumaila Kawu admitted that he received N21 million monthly as salaries and allowances.
Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District had earlier claimed that senators receive a monthly running cost of ₦13.5m in addition to a ₦750,000 salary.
Reacting to this claim, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) refuted Sani’s claim and stated that the salary of a senator stands around N1.06 million.
However, in a twist of events, a senator, Sumaila Kawu,, in an interview with BBC Hausa Service said his monthly salary is about N1 million and that by the time deductions are made it hovers around N600,000 monthly.
According to the lawmaker, due to allowances and other exigencies, his total take-home amounts to N21 million. He said this serves as funds needed for the running cost of his office as a senator.
The lawmaker also stated that the few deductions on his salary are done by the RMFAC.
Reacting to Kawu’s revelation, Sani took to X to write: “Yesterday, the RMFAC refuted my statement but I’m vindicated by Senator Kawu Sumaila who confirmed that the monthly alert is N21 million and not N1 million.
“RMFAC make una mind yourself.”
The controversy surrounding the salaries of lawmakers started after former president Olusegun Obasanjo alleged that members of the National Assembly fixed their salaries.
Obasanjo also said that the present crop of lawmakers are being bribed by the executive.
