₦21 Million Monthly Salary: Atiku’s Aide Hails Senator Kawu

Special Adviser on Media to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has hailed Kano South Senator, Sumaila Kawu, for disclosing that senators earn ₦21 million every month.

Paul Ibe said the disclosure by Senator Sumaila Kawu has clarified the position of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, that the lawmakers pay themselves contrary to legal stipulations.

Atiku’s aide said the Senate, by earning more than ₦1.1 million approved by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), contravened Nigeria laws.

In a statement on Wednesday, Ibe said, “Senator Sumaila Kawu has courageously stepped up to assert that his monthly take home is ₦21 million in allowances apart from about ₦1 million in salary thus vindicating former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s accusation that it was immorally wrong of the Senator Godswill Akpabio-led NASS to fix own salaries and allowances in contravention of the laws of Nigeria.

“The position of Sen. Sumaila not only confirms what Obasanjo said, it also puts a lie to the official response of the Senate that it does not fix its own salaries and allowances. In an institution peopled with lackeys with no balls to hold the reckless executive to account, Sen. Sumaila’s courageous act is worthy of commendation.

“It is, however, ironic that the NASS which is saddled with the task of making laws for the good governance of Nigeria, is the one that is breaking the law and undermining the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC), which is the commission that is constitutionally empowered to fix salaries and allowances of public officials, including members of the NASS. It is the responsibility of the RMFAC to man up and implement the law as it relates to fixing the salaries and allowances of public officials.”

He further warned the Senate President, Godswil Akpabio, against suspending Senator Kawu for speaking up. He recalled that senators Ali Ndume and Ahmed Ningi, Borno South and Bauchi Central, respectively, were previously suspended by the Senate for speaking up.