Reps Member Says Colleague Couldn’t Afford School Fees, Rejects Claims Lawmakers Are Overpaid

A member of the House of Representatives, Chinedu Obika, has challenged the widespread perception that federal lawmakers are excessively paid, revealing that one of his colleagues recently struggled to raise ₦700,000 for his daughter’s school fees.

Obika, who represents the Abuja Municipal Area Council/Bwari Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory, said he personally assisted the unnamed lawmaker in paying the fees about two months ago.

He made the disclosure during an interview on KAA Truths, posted on Thursday, while responding to public criticism over the remuneration and welfare of members of the National Assembly.

According to the lawmaker, the incident underscores the reality that not all legislators enjoy the level of financial comfort often attributed to them by the public.

“Now let me tell you something you don’t know. I can tell you that about two months ago, a colleague of mine could not pay ₦700,000 for his daughter’s school fees, and I was the one who helped him get that done; a member!” Obika said.

He argued that the public often misinterprets the silence of some lawmakers, insisting that it is not because they are being compensated to remain quiet but because they are not benefiting from any form of personal enrichment.

“So if it’s about personal enrichment, that’s why members are not speaking. If you’re not getting anything, you’re not speaking.

“I have never seen that kind of thing in my life. In fact, one member fought over it. National Assembly members fight when good things go to them, not when they keep quiet. So outsiders think it’s when they keep quiet that something is wrong,” he said.

Obika declined to identify the colleague involved but maintained that the lawmaker’s experience contradicted popular assumptions about the financial status of members of the National Assembly.

He also insisted that lawmakers’ salaries and allowances are not hidden from the public, urging Nigerians to rely on verifiable information rather than speculation.

“Every entitlement meant for a member is publicly available. If you haven’t found something specific, tell me, ‘Honourable, they said this is such-and-such amount,’ and I’ll respond to it directly,” he said.