N13.5m outburst: My conscience pricked me to disclose how much we earn as Senators – Shehu Sani

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The lawmaker representing Kaduna  Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Shehu Sani has explained his conscience informed his recent decision to unravel the monthly pay of lawmakers in the country, claiming that the move was to engender more transparency in the legislative arm of government.

Sani’s shocking revelation has since continued to generate controversies across the country, with some wondering why the lawmakers should receive such huge pay while the nation grapples with economic challenges.

CRISPNG recalls that the Senator has come under attacks from some quarters over his recent outburst in an interview with TheNews that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million as running cost monthly, apart from their fixed salary of N750, 000 alongside other allowances.

In a chat with BBC, the lawmaker said his conscience pricked him over the huge pay received by each lawmaker in the country and alleged non-transparency in the National Assembly, hence his disclosure.

“I decided to burst it open. It was a moral issue.

“The National Assembly is one of the most non-transparent organs of government. It pricked my conscience and I decided to burst the bubble and open the National Assembly to public scrutiny.

“If the expenses payment system was ended then parliament would only be attractive to people who contribute ideas,” he told BBC.

The Senate had on Sunday confirmed the payment, but however distance itself from Shehu’s claim that the matter had been hidden from public domain, claiming that it was nothing new.