In a recent scandal that rocked the Nigerian Senate, Senator Abdul Ningi was suspended after revealing that fictitious projects were included in the 2024 budget, hinting at possible embezzlement. The case brought to light allegations that some senators received N500 million for constituency projects.
Although the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Taxation Commission (RMAFC) determines the salaries and allowances of all public employees in Nigeria, senators have access to other benefits, including constituency funds , which are not officially covered by the agency.
Senators have argued in the past that they do not have direct access to these funds, but rather use them to award contracts for projects in their districts. However, this process has been repeatedly called fraudulent.
For example, Senator Ali Ndume admitted last week that 10 leaders of the house, including himself, received more than the usual 200 million naira allocated to each senator for constituency projects, but without specifying the amount exact. Senator Ned Nwoko also admitted in an interview on March 16, 2024 that he received almost N1 billion for constituency projects because he cited his “weight and contacts”.
Nigerian senators are considered among the highest paid legislators in the world, but this is only possible when you take into account all the perks they have access to, which are secret from the public and outside the oversight of the RMAFC .
In addition to their official salaries that we know, senators benefit from other benefits such as accommodation, moving expenses, travel allowances, distance and vacation bonuses, departure bonus, as well as the possibility of taking loans for vehicles.
This scandal highlights the need for greater transparency and better governance to avoid any abuse of public funds. These revelations highlight the importance of stricter control of finances and benefits granted to people’s representatives to ensure adequate use of resources and strengthen public confidence in the political system.