Ishaku Abbo, a former senator from the Adamawa North Senatorial District, has opened up about the financial challenges he faced during his time in the Nigerian Senate, stating that the monthly allowances, though appearing substantial on paper, were inadequate for the responsibilities attached to the role.
In a recent interview on Arise TV, Abbo disclosed that his total earnings, including salary and allowances, amounted to N14.4 million per month. He explained that this figure included various allowances such as wardrobe and vehicle allowances, along with a salary of N1 million.
"When I was in the Senate, cumulatively, all the allowances were N14.4 million per month," Abbo stated. "It is about N29 million now. N29 million looks big on paper. I’m saying this as an honest man. I’m not trying to support the National Assembly, and I’ve been a member of that vilified institution for five years. I am not standing with them, but I’ll bear the facts on the table."
The former senator also discussed the personal financial strain he endured after leaving his business to serve in the Senate. He mentioned how he had to subsidize his living expenses and support his constituents out of pocket due to the insufficient funds allocated to his office.
Abbo shared a specific instance where he spent N14 million on medical care for one individual, highlighting the constant demands for assistance from people across Adamawa State and beyond. He contrasted this with the financial resources available to state governors, some of whom, he claimed, receive up to N1 billion in monthly security votes.
"I am poorer, much poorer as a man when I became a politician than I was before I became a politician," Abbo lamented.
In response to Abbo's claims, Senate spokesman Adeyemi Adaramodu (APC – Ekiti South) clarified that no senator earns N21 million monthly as salary and allowances. He emphasized that the "running cost" is distinct from the salary and personal allowances of lawmakers.
