The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, representing Kano South under the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has disclosed that he earns N21 million in allowances every month in addition to his monthly salary of about N1 million.
This revelation comes just days after former President Olusegun Obasanjo criticized members of the National Assembly for setting their own salaries and allowances.
Senator Sumaila made this disclosure while speaking to the BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday morning.
He explained that while his salary is determined by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the significant increase in monthly allowances has been a practice in the Senate.
“My monthly salary is less than N1 million. After deductions, the figure comes down to a little over N600,000,” Senator Sumaila said. “Given the increase effected, each Senator gets N21 million every month as running cost.”
RMAFC Clarifies Senatorial Earnings
The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), responsible for setting the salaries and allowances of public servants, recently disclosed that each member of the Senate receives a total monthly salary and allowances of N1,063,860.00.
This figure contrasts sharply with the amounts disclosed by Senator Sumaila, highlighting the disparity between official figures and actual earnings.
The Chairman of RMAFC, Muhammed Bello Shehu, provided a detailed breakdown of the cumulative take-home pay for lawmakers, which includes:
Basic Salary: N168,866.70
Motor Vehicle Fuelling and Maintenance Allowance: N126,650.00
Personal Assistant: N42,216.66
Domestic Staff: N126,650.00
Entertainment: N50,660.00
Utilities: N50,660.00
Newspapers/Periodicals: N25,330.00
Wardrobe Allowance: N42,216.66
House Maintenance: N8,443.33
Constituency Allowance: N422,166.66
Shehu stated that some allowances are regular, while others are non-regular. Regular allowances are paid along with the basic salary, whereas non-regular allowances are paid as needed.
“A closer look at the monthly entitlement of Senators reveals that each Senator collects a monthly salary and allowances of the sum of N1,063,860.00,” the RMAFC chairman said in a statement. He also noted that furniture allowance (N6,079,200 million) and severance gratuity (N6,079,200 million) are paid once every tenure, and the vehicle allowance (N8,105,600 million) is a loan that the beneficiary must repay before leaving office.
Obasanjo’s Criticism of National Assembly
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had earlier accused members of the National Assembly of arbitrarily setting their salaries and allowances, describing it as immoral and against existing laws. Speaking in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while hosting members of the House of Representatives, 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.”
He further stated, “You give yourselves all sorts of things, and you know it is not right. It is immoral. 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.”
Calls for Transparency and Accountability
Senator Sumaila’s disclosure and Obasanjo’s comments have sparked a debate over the transparency and accountability of the National Assembly’s remuneration practices. The RMAFC has urged Nigerians and interested parties to access the details of the current remuneration package for political, public, and judicial office holders published on its website to avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts.
“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,” Shehu said.
He lamented that the RMAFC does not have constitutional powers to enforce compliance with the proper implementation of the official remuneration package, a gap that he said is being addressed by the National Assembly.
As the conversation around the earnings of lawmakers continues, many are calling for greater transparency and accountability to ensure that the remuneration of public officials aligns with the nation’s economic realities and legal provisions.
