Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, representing Abia North in the Nigerian Senate, has disclosed that he earns a total of N14 million monthly as a lawmaker. .
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Kalu provided a breakdown of his earnings, stating, “I earn N14 million for everything in a month. That is everything encompassing, the overhead, the worker’s salary, everybody.”
The former Abia State governor argued that this sum is insufficient to cover his expenses, including fuel costs for constituency visits and maintaining his constituency office.
His statement aims to counter the widespread belief that Nigerian lawmakers live in luxury while many citizens struggle with poverty.
Addressing another contentious issue, Kalu denied that senators receive official vehicles for personal use.
“All I know is that committees get vehicles, no lawmaker is given any vehicle,” he clarified, attempting to dispel public misconceptions about legislative perks.
Commenting on Nigeria’s current economic challenges, Kalu contextualized the situation within the global post-COVID-19 landscape.
He suggested that countries less affected by economic downturns have benefited from long-established robust economies.
Kalu expressed confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s awareness of the economic struggles facing Nigerians.
“The president himself knows that Nigerians are suffering and hungry. He is a street person; he knows the street very well,” Kalu stated, adding, “The president some nights uses his car to go around and know what is happening in Abuja here.”
