Lawyer’s request about senators’ pay should go to Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Senate President tells court

As a sequel to an action instituted by a lawyer M.O. Idam, Esq. requesting the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to compel Nigeria’s Senate President to furnish him with the exact amount payable to each Nigerian Senator as basic salary as at year 2023. information, the allowance(s) and the amount payable as such allowance(s) to each Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigerian, amongst others, the Senate President has said such requests should be channeled to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

Idam who argued that as a Nigerian Citizen, he is directly affected by the way and manner the national treasury is managed by the Respondent, further requested to be furnished with the following details:

• The exact amount transferred to each Senator as recess or holiday allowance, for enjoyment during Senate recess or holiday, as revealed by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on the 9^th of August 2023.

• The exact amount budgeted and paid as constituency allowance to all the Senators in Nigeria. The information regarding practical measure(s) if any put in place by the Nigerian Senate to meet the yearnings of the common Nigerian masses in order to cushion the negative effect of fuel subsidy removal. The reason or need for such enjoyment at the expense of Nigerians during Senators’ holiday, especially at a time when the debt profile of the country is alarming and the poor Nigerian electorate who are worse hit by fuel subsidy removal, struggle to merely survive.

He further stated:

1. I am worried that if explanation is not provided for the monies spent by the National Assembly under the Respondent, it will occasion arbitrary and frivolous spending which will further wreck the country’s economy.
2. I know as a fact that Nigeria’s debt profile is on the increase amid poor health care delivery, dilapidated federal roads, poor electricity supply and high rate of out of school children.
3. I also know as a fact that I and millions of other common Nigerians are currently subjected to the plagues of economic hardship, which was occasioned by reckless spending and economic mismanagement.