Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, disclosed yesterday that his monthly salary was N400,000, with an additional N25 million in allowances.
Dogara emphasized the need for this clarification to address the widespread misconception that National Assembly members receive exorbitant salaries and allowances.
During a goodwill message at the two-day ‘House Open Week 2024,’ organized to celebrate 25 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, Dogara, who served as the Speaker of the 8th Assembly, urged Nigerians to support their representatives and reduce financial demands on them.
He explained that the belief that lawmakers receive millions in salaries and allowances has tarnished the National Assembly’s image, often leading to public accusations of corruption.
Dogara revealed that he opened a separate account for his allowances, which were used exclusively for his constituents’ needs, and he never withdrew money for personal use. He shared this information to dispel the myth of lawmakers’ high earnings.
Dogara also mentioned that he had made the House budget and his entitlements public during his tenure to combat these misconceptions. However, this practice was discontinued, allowing false narratives about lawmakers’ earnings to persist.
Acknowledging that democracy is costly, Dogara called on Nigeria’s political scientists to develop a more affordable, homegrown democratic model that addresses the needs of Nigerians.
