Former Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo who represented Adamawa North Senatorial District, has described the N29 million earnings of Senators as insignificant, stating, "29 million looks big just on paper. I am saying this as a very honest man."

Elisha Abbo made these remarks during an appearance on Arise Television to discuss the controversy surrounding lawmakers’ salaries and allowances.

The former Senator explained that during his time in office, his salary was slightly over N1 million, but he received a total of N14.4 million at the end of each month, including allowances. Currently, senators are paid N29 million.

He clarified, “When I was in the Senate, cumulatively, all the allowances were N14.4 million per month. You have a wardrobe allowance, a vehicle allowance, and other allowances put together that were N14.4 million, including the N1 million salary.

“It is about N29 million now. N29 million looks big on paper. I’m saying this as a 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.”

He argued that the money was insufficient given the demands and challenges of the office. Abbo also revealed that he became poorer after leaving his business to pursue a political career.

“I had to leave the company I founded, in which I was the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, to go into governance when I won the election.

“I had to start subsiding my life because the money that was allocated to my office was absolutely nothing considering the demand and challenges faced by my constituents on a daily basis.

“I had a case of just one person I took to the hospital; I spent N14 million on one person.

“And every month, from all over Adamawa State and other states, my office was besieged with people looking for help.

“I had to start calling some state governors to help me with cases that are being brought from their states into my office.”

He went on to mention that some state governors receive up to N1 billion for state responsibilities, while he had to personally cover expenses for his constituents, including medical bills and scholarships.

Abbo concluded by saying, “from N14 million, I was paying for people’s scholarships, subsiding people’s expenses while a state governor in this country is going home with over N700 million security vote every month, some go home with N1 billion to do other security issues,” he said.

“I am poorer, much poorer as a man when I became a politician than I was before I became a politician,” Abbo added.

The ongoing debate regarding lawmakers’ salaries has led to calls for Senators and House of Representatives members to be paid the national minimum wage of N70,000.

Watch a part of the video below.