Amid endless demands from Nigerians for lawmakers to disclose their salaries and allowances, ex-Speaker Dogara makes revealing claims 

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has revealed that his monthly salary was less than N400,000, while his monthly allowance as a presiding officer was N25 million.

Speaking at the legislative open week held on July 3, 2024, at the national assembly complex in Abuja, Dogara highlighted the substantial financial pressures faced by lawmakers. He noted that the N25 million allowance hardly lasted three days due to high demands from constituents and other lawmakers.

Dogara emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the national assembly, addressing the ongoing discourse about how funds are managed within the legislative body. He stated: “I think it is time to throw this challenge open to citizens without hiding anything. Not that the national assembly is hiding anything. The reason why they keep hitting at this soft spot is because those doing this know that institutions such as those of the national assembly will be ineffective when subjected to public scorn.”

Recounting a management retreat he attended while in office, Dogara recalled a governor who accused lawmakers of being thieves and criticized the national assembly management for protecting them. In response, Dogara challenged the governor to disclose how much governors take as security votes and the details of state and local government joint accounts.

Dogara took this challenge to heart and, upon returning to Abuja, instructed the clerk to release the breakdown of the national assembly’s budget for the first time. He urged Nigerians to limit their financial demands on representatives, highlighting that the misconception of huge salaries and allowances has tarnished the image of the national assembly members ‘often described as thieves’.

Dogara served as speaker of the 8th Assembly from 2015 to 2019.

Featured image credit: PLACNG