Salary Of Governors in Nigeria: It is often said that Government officials in Nigeria earn a lot of money, particularly the Governor who earns a lucrative salary, amongst other allowances. But is this Salary of Governors actually lucrative as said? And have you ever wondered what exactly your State Governor earns as a Salary? This Article answers your question and quenches your curiosity by providing information on the Salary of Governors in Nigeria.
Before we delve into the Salary structure of Governors of a state in Nigeria, it is important that we understand who a Governor is.
About the office of a Governor
A Governor is the head of a state, the chief executive officer of a state, and a politician duly elected to govern a federating state in Nigeria for a periodic term of four years and maximum period of eight (8) years if re-elected by citizens of the state.
To this effect, we can understand that becoming a Governor of a State in Nigeria requires an election determinable by simple majority rule, that is to say that the Candidate with the majority votes emerges as the winner of the gubernatorial election, and is so declared the Governor of the state. Instructively, there are certain criteria to be met for a person to be qualified to be elected as a Governor of a State.
Criteria For Becoming A Nigerian Governor
As provided in Section 176 and Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These criteria for becoming a Governor of a state in Nigeria are:
a. Such a person must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth
b. Such a person must have attained the age of 35 years and above
c. Such a person must be a member of a Political party approved by INEC, and that Political party must have sponsored him as their candidate.
d. Such a person must be educated to at least Secondary school certificate level or its equivalent.
Additionally, these are not the only requisite for participation as a candidate in a gubernatorial election, to also qualify to run as an aspirant/candidate in a gubernatorial election, you must:
a. Not have acquired the citizenship of another country or pledged allegiance to that other country
b. You must not have held such office by election for two previous elections. That is to say that you cannot run for a third term, as an office holder, you can only run for one additional tenure, making your years in an Office a total of Eight (8) years.
c. Be a person of sound mind.
d. Not have been convicted nor sentenced for any offence involving dishonesty or having been found guilty of contravention of the code of conduct within a period of less than ten (10) years before the date of the gubernatorial election.
e. Not have been declared bankrupt under a Law in operation in Nigeria
f. Not be a member of any secret society
g. Not be employed into the public service of the federation
h. Not be running for the election with a forged certificate of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
These do's and Don'ts in addition to the guidelines and stipulations of Independent National Electoral Commission, otherwise referred to as INEC is requisite to contest as a candidate in the gubernatorial election of any state in Nigeria. Any candidate who emerges victorious in this election will be declared the Governor of the state, and will therefore become entitled to enjoy such benefits and salary affiliated to that position.
Monthly Salary Of A Governor In Nigeria
Here is a full breakdown of the Salary and Allowances accrued to a State Governor in Nigeria:
a. Basic salary = N2,223,705
b. Leave allowance = N222,370.50
c. Vehicle loan = 400% of annual basic salary.
d. End of tenure gratuity = N6,671,115
Notably, the annual average salary in which a State Governor earns is N11,540,896 with the annual leave allowance slated at N222,370.50.
According to the 2009 approved earnings accrued to Public Office holders, a State Governor is entitled to 400% of his annual basic salary which is N8,894,820.00 and serves as allowances for maintenance of vehicles. You should also know that aside the basic salary and vehicle allowance, there are also other entitlement accrued to the Governor's office. These include accommodation and furniture allowances provided by the State Government. Moreso, the State bears the brunt of the Medical expenses of the Governor.
Additionally, after a Governor has completed his tenure, such Governor will receive a severance gratuity of N6,671,115. Conclusively, these figures depicted above is the statutory Salary of a State Governor in Nigeria. I'm sure you are surprised at the figures, and expected it to be higher? Well, this is what your Governor earns while and after Serving your wonderful State.
Steps To Becoming A State Governor In Nigeria
Let's go into the specifics of the measures you must follow to achieve this goal.
The actions you must take are as follows:
1. Register With A Political Party: It is required by the constitution that you register with a political party that will represent you before the Independent Electoral Commission. This will cost you a fee, which varies based on the party. In your ward, community, place of employment, or wherever you live, you are required to register. A political party does not have many or onerous prerequisites for membership. To join, all you have to do is be a Nigerian who is at least 18 years old, pay the dues and fees, and then consent to follow the party's guidelines.
After reviewing your application, the party leadership will decide whether to accept it or reject it. If the former applies, a membership card with your passport photo and the signatures of the party's National Chairman and Secretary will be issued to you as proof of your membership.
2. Register With INEC As A Gubernatorial Contestant / Candidate: Once you have membership of a political party, you are now set to register as a contestant. Pick the form for gubernatorial contestants, fill and submit it providing all required details. Of course, your party will nominate you for this( following participation in a scheduled party primary for governorship) and of course, you will be required to pay registration fees. Once your registration is completed then you are already halfway there.
3. Set up a Campaign Team: A campaign team should be assembled after you have registered as an applicant with INEC. This group, which includes a campaign manager and other executives, will help to plan and execute your campaign to achieve success. In every district, ward, and local government region, recruit people for your campaign team.
The people you appoint at the state level should be able to organise this, so you won't have to worry about it. You should follow up to ensure that everything is in place since these are the people who will mobilise voters for you at the local level, and without them, you may not have any votes at all.
4. Secure adequate funding for your campaign: Running a successful campaign can be expensive, so financial backing is important. As such, you'll need to fundraise for your campaign. Make sure to follow campaign finance regulations and guidelines set by INEC to ensure transparency and accountability.
5. Meet With Political Icons, Influential Politicians Who Can Support You: No one can deny that politics is a game of loyalty. Wherever you are from, politics has significant actors. Meet with them and make an official declaration of your intentions. They may be aware of what you are doing, but they still want you to introduce yourself to them in a formal manner, so do that.
The benefit is that they can provide financial support or assistance with mobilisation for your campaign. Do not disregard this; even their blessings are sufficient as elders. They may offer you advice on stuff you wouldn't normally know because they have more experience playing the game than you do. Use this to your advantage, and you will have an edge over your competition, at least in your immediate area.
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