Debate Heats Up In Salary-Reduction Talks: Atiku, Sani Push for Lower Allowances For Lawmakers

Debate Heats Up In Salary-Reduction Talks: Atiku, Sani Push for Lower Allowances For Lawmakers

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has said the office running cost of the House of Representatives is the “real devil” and not salary.

Sani made the remark while commending the House of Representatives for slashing their salaries.

Posting on X, Sani wrote: “The Reps slashed their salaries.That is a good symbolic gesture.I commend them.But the real Devil is the Office running cost and not the Salary.”

Similarly, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar likened the “sacrifice” of the lawmakers as a drop in the ocean.

Atiku said the demons are in the allowances and not salaries of the lawmakers.

He posted on X: “The sacrifice of members of the House of Representatives is commendable. But it is a drop in the ocean. The demons are in the allowances and not the salaries of lawmakers and government officials in general.

“Whatever happened to the much-trumpeted implementation of the Oronsaye Report? Recently, the ballooning of MDAs with the attendant cost implications has been observed.

“There’s too much wastage and prioritisation of non-essential expenditures. What is desirable is an across the board cut in expenses. We can no longer afford to borrow money to fund continued irresponsibility in government.”