A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, revealed on Wednesday that his monthly salary was less than N400,000 during his tenure as a member of the National Assembly.
Speaking at the first-ever legislative open week in Abuja, Dogara urged fellow legislators to transparently disclose their financial details to counter the prevalent belief that they receive excessively high salaries. He emphasized that the monthly earnings of lawmakers are insufficient to cover expenses beyond three days.
Dogara clarified, “While I was Speaker, my salary was less than N400,000. I don’t know if it has been increased now.” He also disclosed that his total allowance as a presiding officer was N25 million, which he managed meticulously by instructing his accountant to maintain a separate account for it.
“Everything that came into that account was used to cater to the needs of constituents,” he said
Addressing public perceptions about legislators’ pay, Dogara stressed the importance of dispelling misconceptions. “I am saying this so Nigerians will give their legislatures breathing space and know that the narrative is not true about members’ pay,” he remarked.
He acknowledged the financial demands of democracy and suggested exploring cost-effective local models developed by political scientists.
TheLeadng reports that the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, recently echoed concerns about the current salary levels of federal lawmakers. He emphasized that their take-home pay is significantly lower than widely believed, rejecting calls for a 50% salary cut as a solution to the perceived problem.
