Buzzing Today: N13.5m Running Cost – Rep says ‘Back off’

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Recently, Shehu Sani, senator representing Kaduna central, disclosed that apart from the basic monthly salary of N750,000, each senator gets N13.5 million as “running cost”. According to TheCable, when Abdulrazak Namdas, spokesman of the lower legislative chamber, was asked to clarify what his counterpart at the senate said, here is what he said:

“Democracy is not only about lawmakers… why should I disclose what I earn as a lawmaker,” Namdas told TheCable.

“I’m not talking about the running cost of lawmakers. I can’t talk on that for lawmakers in the house of representatives because we have done that before. Why should I disclose it? If you think it is a public information, then go to the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

“Do you know the salary of a minister? Is he not a public official? Why are you bothering on our own? Democracy is not about only legislators.

“I cannot say this is what I earn because you don’t know the salary of a minister, and they are public officials too. But if a member of the house of representatives says he earns this amount, then I can clarify.”

When told that the public is interested in knowing the earning of the lawmakers, he said: “If people are asking questions, let them be asking. It is natural for them to ask questions.

“The people don’t want to know about legislators alone. They also want to know about the executive and judiciary. So, why are you only asking the legislators?”