Senator representing Osun Central Senatorial District and Chiefwhip of the Sense, Prof Olusola Adeyeye, has revealed that senators on the 7th Assembly earned as high as N20 million as monthly running cost under the leadership of the then President of the Senate, David Mark.
Adeyeye made this known while reacting to the criticism that trailed his stance that Nigeria’s constitution poses a problem to the country.
Adeyeye said he played a pivotal role in prevailing on Mark, two-time Senate president, to reduce the running cost of the lawmakers.
He said: “Let me say that the running costs used to be very significantly higher than the current amount at a time when the naira fetched twice its current value of hard currency.
“I dare say that I was a pivotal anchor of internal pressures that reduced the running costs from what was as high as N20 million per month.
“I had long discussions with Senator David Mark.
“To his credit, I did not need to talk much to convince him about the necessity to reduce the running costs.
“The knotty issues were the timing and magnitude of reduction.
“That Senator David Mark survived eight years as Senate President, despite stepwise reduction of running costs during his tenure speaks volumes about his leadership skills and dexterity.”
