Senate debunks Obasanjo’s claim of fixing own salaries, allowances
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Senate has said it does not fix its own salaries and allowances as claimed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In a rebuttal on Sunday, Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, also said the lawmakers do not receive incentives from the Presidency.
Adaramodu said the lawmakers receive only the salaries and allowances prescribed by the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC), the body authorised by law to prepare public officers’ remunerations.
“To straighten the records, the Senate receives only the salary allocated constitutionally by the Revenue Mobilisation Fiscal Allocation Commission. We challenge anyone who is privileged, either in qualified or absolute position to bring forth any contrary fact,” he said.
Over the years, federal lawmakers have confirmed receiving running costs for their various offices despite receiving monthly salaries and allowances.
Shehu Sani, a former Kaduna Central senator, once confirmed that he and his colleagues collected N13.5 million monthly as “running cost,” in addition to their N750,000 monthly consolidated salary and allowances.
In the statement, Adaramodu did not say anything about the running cost of the senators nor mentioned any figure as an allowance for the lawmakers.
A senator is entitled to over N1 million monthly salary and allowance as prescribed by the RMAFC package.
RMAFC spokesperson, Ibrahim Mohammed, recently said the total monthly entitlement of each senator as salary and allowances is about N1 million (N1,063,860).
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Mohammed said this comprised the basic salary of N168,866, motor vehicle fueling and maintenance allowance of N126,650.00, personal assistant pay of N42,216.66, domestic staff 126,650.00 and entertainment, N50,660.00.
Other benefits include: utilities, N50,660.00; newspapers/periodicals N25,330.00; wardrobe allowance, N42,216,66.00; house maintenance, N8,443.33.00 and constituency allowance, N422,166.66.
Adaramodu said the Senate does not have the constitutional power to determine the salaries and allowances of its members other than what is contained in the RMAFC package.
“The senators or the National Assembly do not and cannot fix their salaries. Any suggestions contrary is uncharitable and satanic. It’s only an attempt to crucify the legislature by the centurions of political hypocrisy,” he said.
The Senate spokesperson also clarified that none of its members received incentives from the presidency. The N100 billion constituency projects funds were meant for projects, not the lawmakers’ personal use.
He said each lawmaker nominated the constituency projects, but contracting and payments were executed directly by relevant government agencies and ministries.
Adaramodu also explained that projects facilitated in each constituency vary depending on the number of constituencies in each state.