I have no apology for disclosing senators’ jumbo pay - Shehu Sani declares

I have no apology for disclosing senators’ jumbo pay - Shehu Sani declares

- Senator Shehu Sani has revealed why he disclosed senators' jumbo pay

- Sani had recently said that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million monthly as running cost

- The activist turned senator, however, noted that despite his disclosure, he would continue to receive the huge pay

The senator representing Kaduna central at the Senate, Shehu Sani, has declared that he had no apology for exposing his and other federal lawmakers' jumbo pay.

The Nation reports that Sani made the disclosure on a radio programme in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, adding that his style of politics is driven by conscience.

Legit.ng gathered that he noted that he won an election into the Senate based on his conscience and a set guiding principles.

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He said: "I am not a typical politician. I came from a civil rights background and my politics is driven by conscience and a set of guiding principles and it was on that foundation that I contested and won election to represent my people. Based on the fact that I am not a typical politician, I should be expected to do things differently from the typical politician.

"It is not easy in a situation like this in the sense that whatever one would say, there would certainly be consequences. It is also not for the fact that I wanted to antagonise my colleagues or incite people against them.

"I am of the firm belief that things should not continue to be as they are for a long time. My observation was that when I came to the Senate, I had read the public mood and perception and views when it comes to the issue of people in the National Assembly.

"The National Assembly is made up of distinguished personalities, doctors, lawyers, engineers, academics and all who have made it in life. But, because of this culture of secrecy and silence, people who found themselves in the National Assembly are criminalised and stigmatised.

"The dome of the National Assembly is being seen to house people of questionable character and integrity. So, what I did was to rescue the honour and credibility of the National Assembly by removing the veil secrecy to bring it once and for all to an end.

"It has been 19 years of civil administration and it has been 19 years of secrecy, of people not wanting to speak out. We have reached a point where people speculate and say so many bad things about the NASS. You see all sorts of figures of what senators are collecting.

"Some say N50million. Some speculate N100 million. But, whatever people say, naturally, others will believe because there is no counter-information, no truth coming from the other side. So, I said I know it is painful, I know that I will lose friends and colleagues within the very establishment that I serve.

"But, I need to speak because I was part of those who fought and struggled for the restoration of this democracy. I went to jail and was in the fore front of the protest against military rule. It is not possible for me to speak against the military rule and now I cannot. And as such I say it is temporary pain.

"But, now that Nigerians know what the senators are earning, it is time for them to also ask what is happening in the Presidency, the judiciary and the other arm of government.

"Since I have come out to speak, we should also ask people to ask the members of their Houses of Assembly who also collect this money to speak. I know things are not going to be easy because when I made the disclosure, there was explosion, even right in my own house.

"So, I know very well that it comes with a lot of price. But, in the long run, our people will not be focusing on the senators. They will now be focusing on other areas and other people who refuse to come out and speak."

Speaking on whether he would stop collecting the huge amount after he let the cat out of the basket, Sani said: "When I came to the Senate, I said this is what should be done. I said the RMFAC should let Nigerians know what we are earning. I even forgot that I said that until the Premium Times published what I had earlier said and that, that had always been my position.

"I will continue to collect as other are collecting too, until there is a law or there is an adjustment to say we should collect half of what we now collect. I will continue to collect because I am not collecting it for myself. I am collecting it for my people.

"But, what I see fundamentally is that it goes beyond that. We live in a society where there is a very low level of political consciousness and awareness. Our people are still unable to differentiate between executive and legislative duties.

"They want their legislators to build schools, hospitals, construct roads and so many other things. Money is being given to the legislators for them to be able to do this. Now, this money became the primary purpose why many people want to be in the NASS.

"Also, this money diverts the attention of senators and Reps from doing their primary duties of raising motions, bills and performing oversight functions. I would like a point where they will say what a Senator is earning is this much and nobody should come to me for school fees, rent and to solve their problems.

"We will then have only people with ideas coming to the NASS and this monetary inducement and enticement will come to an end. But, as of now, out of every 10 people that come to see a legislator, it is only one that comes on issues of motions and bills. Nine of them will be about their own personal bills for you to solve.

"So, we should reach that point. If you go to the NASS now, you will see people trooping in at the gate. When you ask them, you will see they are people who are coming to for notes to get some jobs of some form of work to do somewhere.

"Majority thinks there is a lot of money in NASS and actually there is. So, they come to collect the money. I would like to see those in my reception to be those who have come to discuss issues that took me to the NASS.

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"I will appeal to Nigerians to now to shift focus to the governors, the ministers, those in the Presidency, the SGF, the Chief of Staff to the President, NNPC GMD, those in the Houses of Assembly, to ask them to say publicly what they earn monthly.

"I lost friends because of what I said. People were not happy, but I had to do it. We can’t continue to be like North Korea for the next 100 years. It is not going to work.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that five reasons were adduced as the reason a senator representing Kaduna central, Shehu Sani, has gone unpunished for revealing his and other federal lawmakers' jumbo pay.

Should the Nigerian Senate be scrapped? - on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng

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