Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has rejected claims that members of the National Assembly are responsible for fixing their own salaries and allowances, stating that such decisions are exclusively handled by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
His remarks came in response to a recent court judgment that declared controversial spending on lawmakers’ vehicles and allowances unlawful.
A Federal High Court in Lagos had ruled against the National Assembly’s N110 billion expenditure on vehicle procurement and support allowances, holding that the spending violated procurement regulations, constitutional provisions, and public trust obligations.
The disputed expenditure included N40 billion allocated for the purchase of 465 vehicles for federal lawmakers and an additional N70 billion earmarked as support allowances for newly elected legislators.
The court further directed Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, to ensure that all future procurements and public spending by the National Assembly strictly comply with due process requirements.
Responding to the controversy, Bamidele maintained that legislators have no authority to decide their own remuneration packages, adding that public misunderstanding of how lawmakers are compensated continues to fuel criticism.
According to him, responsibility for determining salaries and allowances rests solely with the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
“Legislators do not determine their own remunerations. Salaries and allowances are fixed by RMAFC,” he said.
The Senate Leader also defended provisions made for official vehicles and other allowances, explaining that such resources are primarily intended to enable lawmakers carry out legislative functions and constituency-related responsibilities rather than serve as personal benefits.
He argued that many of the allowances associated with legislative office support operational activities linked to representation, oversight functions, and engagement with constituents.
Bamidele further called for increased transparency around the remuneration of public office holders, saying clearer public access to such information would help reduce misconceptions and encourage a better understanding of how government compensation structures operate.
His comments come amid ongoing public debate over government spending, legislative accountability, and the management of public resources, particularly following the court’s decision on the National Assembly’s vehicle procurement and allowance schemes.
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