Significant information regarding the financial incentives that members of the House of Representatives and senators in Nigeria receive has been disclosed by former senator Shehu Sani, who offered insight into the payment structure for federal politicians in Nigeria. Sani illuminated a frequently obscure aspect of Nigerian politics in a video released by Arise TV by outlining the different benefits to which legislators are entitled in addition to their official salaries.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
During his time in office in 2017, Shehu Sani discovered that his bank account was being credited with a substantial amount of money each month. This sum was separate from his official salary, highlighting that there are multiple streams of income for Nigerian lawmakers that go beyond their basic pay. According to Sani, these payments are divided into three categories, which all federal lawmakers receive.
The first payment category is the lawmakers’ official salary. Sani mentioned that during his time as a senator, his salary was set at 750,000 naira per month. This amount has gradually increased over time, with current senators in the 10th Senate earning approximately 1 million naira per month as their official salary.
In addition to their salaries, lawmakers receive a second payment for the running costs of their office. This is a substantial sum that is directly deposited into their personal accounts. The running cost payment is intended to cover expenses related to the operation of their offices, but the exact allocation and its usage have been a subject of debate and controversy over the years.
The third payment that federal lawmakers receive is for constituency projects. These funds are allocated to senators and House members to develop their local constituencies, with the aim of facilitating development in the regions they represent. However, the administration and effectiveness of these funds have often been questioned, with concerns about transparency and accountability.
He said: “As a senator in 2017 I disclosed that I found out that my account was credited every month with 13.5 million naira and that was separate from my salary which at that time was 750,000 naira. So when any person is elected into the parliament whether as a senator or member of House of Reps, there are three categories of payment he receives. The first one is the salary, during our time it was 750,000 naira and then, the 9th Senate was almost 850,000 naira and then this 10th Senate they have a million naira. The second payment is the running cost of office, it money that is credited to your account. The third payment a senator or member of House of Reps gets is the constituency project funds”.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
