Many Lawmakers Struggle To Pay School Fees Amid Economic Hardship – Senator Na’Allah

A former Kebbi South senator, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, has challenged the widely held notion that public office in Nigeria automatically translates to wealth, stating that some former lawmakers even struggle to afford their children’s school fees after leaving the National Assembly.

Speaking on Trust Television’s 30 Minutes programme, Senator Na’Allah shared his perspective on the financial realities faced by some legislators. He urged the interviewer to investigate the financial status of former members of the House of Representatives and the Senate who had no prior significant income sources before entering politics.

“Mannir, I am giving you this assignment. Go back to your constituency or anywhere you know of people occupying public office, especially the House of Representatives and the Senate. Tell me one Senator or one member of the House of Representatives who had nothing to do before he joined politics and who, after leaving politics after one year, can even afford the children’s school fee,” Na’Allah asserted.

He emphasized that the internal workings of the National Assembly are often misunderstood by the public. “Some of them ventured into the National Assembly believing that it is a place to make money, only to discover that they are going to end up poorer,” he explained.

Responding to the host’s observation that many lawmakers appear affluent, Na’Allah countered by reiterating his challenge. “Well, that is how you see it, and that is why I am giving you this assignment. And I hope by the time you finish that assignment, you will return to this forum and tell Nigerians what your results have shown.”

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“I am not here to make a case for the legislature,” he clarified, “but I am telling you based on my honest understanding of how that place is run. The perception that the public has is completely at variance with the reality of what is happening there.”

Na’Allah further suggested that the desire for future powerful positions might explain why some lawmakers are reluctant to leave their seats, rather than a motivation to remain as ordinary members.

It is worth noting that Senator Na’Allah, who previously served as the deputy majority leader in the 8th Senate, was defeated in his bid for re-election in 2023 by Garba Maidoki.