Senators’ pay: Senator Kawu Sumaila’s revelation has vindicated me – Shehu Sani

Former Kaduna Central senator, Senator Shehu Sani said he has been vindicated by Senator Kawu Sumaila’s revelation on the emoluments of senators.

Sani said this in an X post on Wednesday.

Earlier, Sani said that senators receive a monthly running cost of ₦13.5 million in addition to a ₦750,000 salary.

Sani stressed that RMAFC is constitutionally empowered to determine the salaries and allowances of lawmakers but lacks the authority to enforce compliance.

However, the commission said each of the 109 senators gets a monthly salary of ₦1,063,860.

The commission explained that the senators receive regular allowances which are paid alongside the basic salary, while non-regular allowances, such as Furniture Allowance (₦6,079,200) and Severance Gratuity (₦6,079,200), are paid once per tenure.

The RMAFC added that vehicle allowance (₦8,105,600) is an optional loan that must be repaid before the lawmaker leaves office.

However, in a chat with BBC Hausa, Kano South senator, Senator Kawu said he receives N21 million as “running cost” monthly.

“The amount of salary received per month is less than N1 million. If there are cuts, it comes back to about N600,000.

“In the senate, each senator is given N21 million every month as the cost of running his office,” Sumaila said.

Reacting in an X post, Sani said he has been vindicated by Sumaila’s revelation.

“Yesterday, the RMAFC refuted my statement, but I’m now vindicated by Senator Kawu Sumaila who confirmed that the monthly alert is N21 million and not N1million. RMAFC make una mind yourself,” Sani wrote.