Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana has accused the National Assembly of contempt and illegality over the revelation that Nigerian Senators are receiving a monthly “running cost” of ₦21 million.

Recall that Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila of Kano State had disclosed that he receives ₦21 million every month.

Reacting, Falana threatened legal actions if the payments are not halted.

Speaking via a press statement, the human rights activist condemned the National Assembly’s decision to increase the monthly allowances of Senators from ₦14 million to ₦21 million, describing the move as “illegal and contemptuous.

He referenced a 2021 Federal High Court ruling by Justice Chuka Obiozor which stated that only the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) is authorised to determine the salaries and allowances of federal legislators.

“The Senate, the House of Representatives, and the National Assembly Service Commission have no power, close or semblance of power, and cannot determine, direct, command, and/or instruct the RMAFC or any person howsoever to make, determine, and/or fix the salaries, wages, remuneration, running cost, or allowances of the National Assembly,” Falana stated, quoting the court judgment.

Speaking further, the legal practitioner said that despite the court order, the current leadership of the National Assembly disregarded the ruling by further inflating Senators’ running costs, saying that this is not only illegal but a blatant contempt of court.

“In utter contempt of the orders of the Federal High Court, the current leadership of the National Assembly increased the salaries and allowances of a Senator from ₦14 million to ₦21 million per month,” he stated.

He highlighted the inconsistencies between the 2024 Appropriation Act and the alleged payments, stressing that there is “no provision whatsoever for monthly payment of ₦21 million running costs to every Senator.”

He added, “Since the running cost was not fixed by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, it is unconstitutional and contemptuous of the valid and subsisting order of the Federal High Court.”

Falana’s statement also drew attention to the contrast between the legislators’ jumbo pay and the newly enacted Minimum Wage Act, which sets the minimum wage for workers at ₦70,000.

“Having just enacted the Minimum Wage Act that stipulates N70,000 for workers, the jumbo emolument of N21 million for federal legislators will compound the crisis of inequality in the country,” he warned.

Falana then called on the National Assembly to immediately comply with the court’s ruling and adjust the Senators’ remuneration to reflect the country’s economic realities.

“The lawmakers should comply with the law of the land. Otherwise, we shall soon embark on contempt proceedings as the legislators are not above the law of the land,” he added.