Rita Odafe
A revealing disclosure was made by Yakubu Dogara, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, concerning his total allowance and salary during his time as a lawmaker.
During the House of Representatives open week celebration in Abuja, as the Speaker of the 8th Assembly, Dogara shared that his total allowance was ₦25 million, while his salary amounted to ₦400,000.
He aimed to clear up misconceptions about the salaries and allowances of National Assembly members, emphasizing the need for transparency to allow Representatives to function efficiently without financial constraints.
Dogara highlighted the impact of the negative public perception fueled by misunderstandings around the earnings of the National Assembly members, leading to unfounded accusations of corruption against them.
In his words, “While I was a Speaker, my salary was ₦400 thousand Naira, and my total allowance was ₦25 million naira. I instructed my accountant to manage a separate account for the allowances, and every amount deposited was utilized for the welfare of the constituents.
“My accountant expressed concerns about the high demand on the account, and I instructed him to borrow when the funds were depleted, with the obligation to repay once new funds were received.
“I share this information to urge Nigerians to support their legislators and understand that the prevailing narrative about members’ remuneration is inaccurate,” Dogara concluded.
