A senator who requested not to be named because he was not authorized by the upper house to speak on the matter confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that all the 109 senators were paid not less than 2 million naira allowance for the holidays, which commenced on Monday and ends on 26 September.
A calculation done by PREMIUM TIMES showed that the senators were paid a total of N218 million, having received N2 million each to enjoy the vacation.
The bank alerts were received by the Senators on 8 August, just before the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced it.
Announcing the largesse, Mr. Akpabio, on Monday, told the senators that some money had been credited to their accounts to enjoy their holidays.
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“In order to enable all of us to enjoy our holidays, a token has been sent to our various accounts by the Clerk of the National Assembly,” he said shortly after screening and confirming the ministerial nominees.
The Senate President was immediately informed by his colleagues that he was speaking on live television.
Upon realizing the seriousness of his remarks, he quickly announced its withdrawal and rephrased his statement, saying that the senate president sent prayers to the mailboxes of the senators.
“I withdraw that statement. In order to allow you to enjoy your holiday, the senate president has sent prayers to your mailboxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.”
It is not clear if the presiding officers, namely the Senate President and the Deputy Senate President, also got N2 million each going by the difference in salaries and allowances they earn and those of the other senators in the remuneration package approved by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
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Also, it is expected that the principal officers would earn higher allowances than their colleagues.
There are eight principal officers, with the majority party, APC, having four and the minority, comprising the six opposition parties, also having four.
The principal officers are the senate leader, deputy senate leader, chief whip and deputy chief whip.
There are also minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority whip and deputy minority whip.
The N2 million allowance given to the senators is illegal as no such provision is made in the remuneration package approved by RMAFC, the body authorized by law to prepare salaries and allowances for public servants.
There is also no provision for “token” in the commission’s document, as stated by Mr. Akpabio while announcing the largesse to the senators.