In a revealing interview on Sunday, August 18, former senator Ishaku Abbo, who represented Adamawa North Senatorial District, disclosed that the earnings of Nigerian senators are not as substantial as they appear on paper.
Abbo stated that during his time in the Senate, his monthly earnings, including salary and various allowances, amounted to N14.4 million.
However, he emphasized that this figure, which has now increased to N29 million, is still inadequate to meet the demands of the office.
“When I was in the Senate, cumulatively, all the allowances were N14.4 million per month. You have a wardrobe allowance, a vehicle allowance, and other allowances put together that were N14.4 million, including the N1 million salary,” Abbo explained.
Abbo, who left his business to enter politics, expressed that the financial strain of supporting his constituents left him poorer.
He shared an instance where he spent N14 million on a single individual’s hospital bills, highlighting the financial burden placed on senators by the demands of their constituents.
The former senator further criticized the disparity between the earnings of senators and state governors, alleging that some governors receive up to N1 billion monthly for state responsibilities, while senators struggle with their allocated funds.
“I am poorer, much poorer as a man when I became a politician than I was before I became a politician,” Abbo concluded, painting a stark picture of the financial realities of political office in Nigeria.
