Beroro Efekoro, a Nigerian-born legislator representing Albany County’s 7th District in New York, has denounced the salaries and allowances of members of Nigeria’s National Assembly as excessive.
Efekoro voiced his criticism in a statement on Thursday in New York, responding to the ongoing debate over the remuneration of National Assembly members. The controversy began following reports that legislators had set their own salaries, which was brought to public attention during a visit by some House of Representatives members to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
While the Senate has denied that its members set their own pay, stating that the reported figures are incorrect, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission has confirmed that each Senator receives a monthly salary and allowances totaling N1.063 million.
Efekoro dismissed the Commission’s statement as merely a formality. “The person who made the allegations was a former senator and knows well the actual amounts involved. The commission’s figures are just on paper for formality’s sake,” he said.
He criticized the Nigerian government and politicians for exacerbating the hardships faced by ordinary Nigerians, warning that the public’s patience has limits. Efekoro urged Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu’s administration in addressing the country’s issues but cautioned against allowing the National Assembly to become a mere rubber stamp for the President.
Efekoro also called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio to cease intimidating senators who seek to hold the President accountable. He expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s ability to improve the economy but stressed the need for transparency regarding the financial impacts of subsidy removal and the administration’s economic plans.
“The administration must explain how funds saved from subsidy removal are being used and outline their economic strategy to prevent a potential revolution,” Efekoro added.
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