IN the midst of the debate surrounding the monthly salaries of federal lawmakers, Senator Shehu Sani has asserted that he earned N13 million as a member of the 8th Senate, while current members of the 10th Senate reportedly receive N21 million each month.
This statement from the former senator, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate, comes in response to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), which claims that Senators earn only N1 million each.
Speaking today, Sani insisted that the RMAFC is not being entirely truthful.
He stated, “I served as a Senator and I have a clear understanding of what transpired during that time, which I believe reflects the current situation as well. The RMAFC is manipulating the figures; they specified that the salary of Senators is N1 million, yet they later provided a breakdown indicating that each Senator earns N20 million over four years.
“I believe they are not being forthright and I understand their hesitation in revealing the truth about the actual situation.
“Before this interview, I came across a statement from Senator Kawu Ismaila from Kano, who confirmed my claim that Senators from the current assembly are indeed receiving up to N21 million monthly.
“When I was in the Senate, I felt compelled as an activist to expose truths that had been hidden for over two decades.
“I believe that taxpayers and Nigerians deserve to know how much their legislators are earning and what amounts are actually credited to them. As a serving Senator, I disclosed the amount I received monthly, which was 13.5 million.”
The former lawmaker emphasized that there is no reason to mislead the public or conceal anything.
He argued that since legislators are funded by taxpayers, it is essential for them to be transparent about their earnings, just as he was during his tenure.