7 important things lawyer said about senators' jumbo pay

Thanks to Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central), everyone now knows that a senator in Nigeria is handed N13.5million monthly as running cost and is entitled to N200miliion for the execution of constituency projects.

Here are Falana’s thoughts in seven soundbites:

1. Let’s bear in mind that furniture and wardrobe allowances weren’t covered in Sani’s revelation

According to Falana, the scale of the jumbo pay becomes even more dizzying when one considers that all other perks and allowances were left out as Sani squealed.

“The disclosure made by Senator Sani does not cover the allowances for cars, housing, wardrobe, furniture etc running to several millions of Naira approved for each Senator”, Falana says.

Last year, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof Itse Sagay said senators earn far higher.

Sagay said senators earna basic salary of N2.4 million per month and N3.2 billion per annum; with allowances detailed as: hardship (50% of basic salary), newspaper allowance (50%), wardrobe allowance (25%), entertainment (30%), recess (10%), and leave (10%), among others.

2. Falana says these guys are really heartless and insensitive

His words are: “the legislators also illegally purchased exotic cars of N4.7 billion for themselves when workers were owed arrears of salaries and the masses were groaning under a recession caused by the profligacy and mismanagement of the national economy by the ruling class”.

3. Falana says Sagay was right all along

“While we commend which had enveloped the salaries and allowances of federal legislators in Nigeria before now, it is crystal clear that the statement credited to Professor Itse Sagay, the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council not too long ago to the effect that Nigerian legislators are the highest paid in the world cannot be faulted”.

4. Falana says legislators shouldn’t carry all of the blame for their bogus pay

The Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMFAC) decides and approves what top government officials are paid. But when it comes to the national assembly, RMFAC prefers not to get involved.

Falana is blaming them as well for staying away.

In Falana’s words; “The federal legislators cannot be blamed alone for paying themselves skyrocketing salaries and allowances outside the ambit of the wages approved for all political office holders in the country.

“The members of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission empowered by section 70 of the Constitution to approve the salaries and allowances of the legislators have always washed off their hands like Pontius Pilate while the Budget Office has never questioned the payment of unauthorized salaries and allowances to federal legislators”.

5. We should hit the brakes on this whole expensive democracy thing, Falana says

Sani’s revelation should “provide an opportunity for the Nigerian people to review the entire costs of governance

“The Buhari administration owes the nation a duty to ensure that no political officer is paid salaries and allowances that have not been approved by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation Fiscal Commission.

“The federal government should, as a matter of urgency, halt the payment of double salary and allowances to a number of legislators and ministers”.

6. No one should punish Sani, Falana warns

There are reportsthat the senate will punish Sani for snitching. Falana is warning them not to dare.

“Sadly, it has been reported in the press that there are moves in the Senate to place Senator Shehu Sani on indefinite suspension for spilling the beans on the payment of the illegal salaries and allowances to federal legislators.

“Having discharged a public duty by blowing the whistle on a matter of crucial national importance, all lovers of democracy and public accountability in Nigeria should rally round the Senator by ensuring that he is not harassed for exercising his constitutionally guaranteed fundamental right to freedom of expression”, Falana says.

7. And by the way, the constitution protects Sani

It won’t be a Falana piece if the constitution isn’t cited.

“In view of the duty imposed on all authorities and persons in Nigeria by virtue of section 287 of the Constitution, to comply with the judgment of every competent court, Senator Sani cannot be penalized for disclosing the salaries and allowances of federal legislators in compliance with the valid and subsisting orders of the federal high court”, Falana says.

There you have it.