Rather Than Bother About Senators' Earnings, Focus On Performance- Lawan Defends N13.5M

Senate majority leader, Ahmad Lawan, says Nigerians should look at the N13.5m running cost budgeted monthly for each lawmaker from the angle of their service to the country.

Lawan explained that many Nigerians consider the money to be a “jumpo pay” due to lack of understanding of what constitutes the lawmakers’ functions.

A recent fact-checks by TheCable revealed that 109 senators earned over N70 billion as running cost — apart from their basic salaries.

This revelation goes on to confirm the assertion that Nigerian lawmakers rank among the highest paid in the world.

While speaking with journalist Saturday, the Yobe-born senator noted that the N13.5m is needed for the lawmakers to have a “conducive” environment to carry out their work.

“Let me say right from the onset that there is nothing like jumbo pay for lawmakers. As a senator, my take-home is N750,000. The gross is about N1 million but a senator pays a tax of N250,000 every month,” he said.

“But as a senator who has to work for the people, we have the funds that people call our own or allowances. These funds are for us to operate. Sometimes your oversight or other functions take you outside the country.

“I believe that what is paid to members of the national assembly and the senate, the N13 million per month is not given to the senator to put into his pocket and use to buy cars. It’s for that senator to perform his functions.

“Today as a senator, I have five aides. In fact in most cases if a senator is going to move a motion, he writes it himself. In the US, a senator may have maybe a long list of professors on every sector who may be a consultant or a staff.

“And that is why the quality of legislation will naturally be higher where such climate exists. We want to have high quality legislation, so we have to pay for that.”

Lawan also said rather than question the lawmakers’ earnings, Nigerians should be more concerned on their performance.

“I think what should matter to us is to continuously keep our eyes on the performances of members of the national assembly. Where they are not performing, criticise us and ask for value for money,” he added.

“When Nigerians pay that kind of money for a legislator, they should get the best quality of legislation. But I don’t think many people understand the functions of the members of the national assembly or the so called debate. We need to educate Nigerians ourselves on what we do. The money going to the national assembly is always a contentious issue.”

The lawmaker had on Saturday said the national assembly will not become President Muhammadu Buhari’s “rubber stamp” if he is elected senate president.