Former senator Shehu Sani has dropped a bombshell that is currently rocking the political circles in Nigeria. He revealed that he almost got suspended for six months in the senate.
He made this known in a post on his X handle on Thursday.
Sani said his disclosure of salaries of federal lawmakers almost cost him his seat.
He gave credit to Bukola Saraki, then senate president, and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu for saving him from the suspension.
He warned that any senator who “blows the whistle too loud” must be ready to face the consequences without expecting support from colleagues.
He said his public disclosure of salary and allowances of senators almost cost him dearly, adding that it would have led to a six months suspension if not for what he called divine intervention and Saraki and Ekweremadu’s quick intervention.
In March 2018, Sani revealed that he and his colleagues were given a monthly running cost of N13.5 million.
He also disclosed that one of the senators was allocated a constituency project fund of N200 million.
His candid disclosure of financial figures – hitherto secret – irritated many of his colleagues.
The revelation not only challenged the culture of secrecy but also intensified the debate on transparency and accountability in Nigerian politics.
For context, Nigeria’s National Assembly has 109 senators and their salaries have always been hidden from the public despite the huge sum involved.
This is a case of the struggle to balance openness with institutional loyalty in a political environment.
In a related development, the senate recently suspended Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, for six months.
Her suspension followed an altercations with Senate President Godswill Akpabio on 20 February.
She later claimed during an interview on Arise TV that her problem in the senate started after she rejected what she called unwanted sexual advances from the president.
This has further exposed the internal challenges and power play within the upper chamber.
These incidents show the complex dance of accountability, political loyalty and personal conduct in Nigeria’s legislative system.