A former Senator, Shehu Sani, had during the 8th Assembly revealed that himself and his colleagues received N13.5 million “running cost” allowance monthly, aside their salary.

In an interview with TheNews, the senator said that the running cost “does not include a N700,000 monthly consolidated salary and allowances which they also receive” and other perks.

He said there is no specification on what the funds were meant for. “Each lawmaker is mandated to provide receipts to back up their expenses,” the vocal lawmaker said

A member of the House of Representatives, Simon Karu, has revealed that each member of the House earns N9.3 million monthly.

The lawmaker, who represents Kaltungo/Shongom federal constituency of Gombe State, stated this on Thursday in Abuja at an event to mark Nigeria’s 60th anniversary.

The event was tagged “FixingNigeria at 60- Sustainable and efficient democracy: Issues on accountability and transparency in governance”.

“The official salary of a member, House of Representatives which I also receive monthly is N800,0000. I told you I was going to say it, why don’t you wait for me to say it? The office running cost of a member of the House of Representatives is N8.5 million,” he said.

“Those of you who know, know that I said exactly what it is. The problem is what the constituents demand and when you don’t meet (up), they begin to call you names.

Sen. Ali Ndume (APC-Borno South) in 2022 called for a reduction in the salaries of the national assembly  members in order to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities,(ASUU).

“Even if it means that the National Assembly will reduce sitting allowances or be paid on casual allowances basis whenever they sit at the Lower and upper chambers, by cutting the recurrent expenditure in the budget of the federal lawmakers to settle the ASUU arrears, let it be. It will be in the overall national interest of Nigerians

“We only assemble twice or so per week and get paid as such.

Breakdown of what a Nigerian senator earns:
RUNNING COST,
Newspaper Allowance………..N1.24m, Wardrobe Allowance………….N0.62m,
Recess Allowance……………N0.25m,
Accommodation………………N4.97m,
Utilities……………………………N0.83m, Domestic Staff………………….N1.86m,
Entertainment………………….N0.83m,
Personal Assistant……………….N0.62m,
Vehicle Maintanance Allowance…….N1.86m,
Leave Allowance…………………..N0.25m, TOTAL RUNNING COST………….N13.58m/month.
This adds up to N162.96m annually

CONSOLIDATED SALARY
He goes home with N750, 000 monthly, This sums up to N9 million annually
He claims he is entitled to N200 million annually to execute projects which are the duty of the Executive.
SUMMARY: Annual Salary…….N9,000,000 per annum,
Running Allowance….N163,000,000 per annum,
Constituency Projects……..N200,000,000 per annum,
TOTAL N372,000,000 per annum. This amount is over N1,000,000 every day including Sundays when he is in church/mosque.
He also gets this,
Severance Gratuity……N7.43m,
Furniture Allowance……….N7.45m,
Motor Vehicle Allowance…N9.94m,
TOTAL N24m plus

The Basic Salary a House of Representatives member receives include:
Personal Assistant, Constituency, Vehicle fueling/maintenance, Domestic Staff, Entertainment, Recess,
Newspaper/Periodicals, Utilities, Houses Maintenance, Vehicle Loan, Furniture, Wardrobe, Duty Tour,
Accommodation, etc.
Speaker, House of Representatives
The head of Nigeria’s lower legislative chamber, the speaker, receives 4,954,220:00 (N4.95m) annually and N412,851:66 monthly, excluding allowances.
Members of the House of Representatives
Members of the lower legislative chamber, according to RMAFC, receive 9,529,038:06 (N9.5m) as annual pay and N704,086:83 every month as allowances
Nigeria’s Healthcare budget is N46 billion for 200 million people
Nigeria’s Education budget is N48 billion for 200 million people
Nigeria’s Legislators Budget is N125 billion for 465 people

So one thing is constant in all the comments above any Nigerian that goes to the National Assembly can never come back POOR.

This makes it difficult to believe individuals are going into public offices to serve or for their pockets. Lets take a look at Governors Salaries and gratuities after office. After all on like the legislature we can pen a figure on their income .

The average yearly salary for a State Governor in Nigeria this 2023 is ₦11,540,896, with the annual base salary being ₦2,223,705 and the annual leave allowance being ₦222,370.50. Every State Governor is entitled to a loan for vehicles and maintenance equal to 400 percent of his yearly basic pay, or ₦8,894,820.00, based on the 2009 approved earnings.

The Governor’s compensation package also includes housing and furniture allowances, which are also funded by the State Government, in addition to the base pay and vehicle allowance. The Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Package (RMAFP), which is also a welfare program, likely explains more about the expenditures made by the country’s Governors.

The allowance in foreign currency for international travel from the State account is uncapped under this package. Also, there is no cap on how much can be collected as duty tour allowance for local travel by the RMAFP. On the Governor’s request, the estacode and the duty tour allowance are provided. The Governor’s medical costs are also covered by the State Government. The Governor is anticipated to earn an ₦6,671,115 severance payment after serving his term in office.

 

Below are the Ex – Governors now presently sitting Senators in the 10th Assembly

 

Senator Godswill Akpabio, representing Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District, emerged as the Senate President for the 10th National Assembly in June 2023 . He had 63 votes to defeat his rival, Sen Abudlazeez Yari from Zamfara West Senatorial District, who garnered 46 votes.

Born 9 December 1962, Akpabio is a Nigerian lawyer and politician. He also served as minister for Niger Delta Affairs from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as governor of Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2015.

He worked with EMIS Telecoms Limited, a wireless telecommunications company in Lagos, Nigeria and became the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company. In 2002.

He has also served as the National Publicity Secretary of the Association of Telecommunication Companies in Nigeria, (ATCOM), while a director of EMIS.

In 2002, he was appointed Honourable Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources by the then Governor Obong Victor Attah in Akwa Ibom State.

Between 2002 and 2006, he served as a Commissioner in three key ministries: Petroleum and Natural Resources, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as Lands and Housing.

When he was in the Peoples Democratic Party, Akpabio was nominated for the position of the Senate Minority Leader by the South-South caucus of the PDP, ratified by the caucus of the PDP in the Senate and announced by the Senate President as Senate Minority Leader on 28 July 2015.

In June 2022, Akpabio resigned from his position as minister for Niger Delta Affairs to contest in the presidential primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) but stepped down on the night of the primaries for the eventual winner, now President Bola Tinubu.

 

Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole (born 4 April 1952) is a Nigerian politician and the former National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress. He had previously served as the President of Nigeria Labour Congress from 1999 to 2007 and the executive governor of Edo State, Nigeria from 2008 to 2016.

He was suspended as APC National Chairman, by the Abuja Court of Appeal on 16 June 2020.

In April 2007, Adams Oshiomhole ran for Governor of Edo State under the Action Congress Party, with which his Labour Party had entered a strategic alliance. Oserheimen Osunbor of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner.

However, the AC contested the election on the basis of various irregularities. On 20 March 2008, an Edo State election tribunal nullified the election of Oserheimen Osunbor and declared Oshiomhole the winner. On 11 November 2008, a federal Appeal Court sitting in Benin City upheld the ruling of the state’s elections petitions tribunal, declaring Oshiomole to be the Governor of Edo State.  The decision was based on several voting irregularities.

During the 2012 Edo State gubernatorial election, he was elected to a second term, winning the elections in a massive landslide. He ended his tenure on the 12th day of November 2016. On 23 June 2018, Adams Oshiomhole emerged as the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria following a voice vote by delegates at the party National convention.

 

 

David Nweze Umahi  (born 25 July 1963) is a Nigerian politician who is the current senator representing Ebonyi South Senatorial District since 2023. He previously served as the governor of Ebonyi State from 2015 to 2023, and as deputy governor from 2011 to 2015.

Umahi entered public service in 2007 as the acting chairman of the Ebonyi State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party.  From 2009 to 2011, he served as state chairman of the party. During that term, he served a year on the governing board of the Federal Medical Centre in Asaba as its chairman.

In 2011, Umahi became the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State on a ticket with the-then Governor Martin Elechi. However, in 2014, Governor Elechi supported Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of Health, as his successor, which Umahi stated violated an understanding that he would take that role.

 

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (born 10 January 1966) is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who has served as Senator for Sokoto South since 2023. He served as the governor of Sokoto State from 2015 to 2023.

He is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, and served as the 12th Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria from 2011 to 2015.

Tambuwal represented the Tambuwal/Kebbe Federal Constituency of Sokoto State as an honorable in the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2015.

Tambuwal started learning the legislative ropes from 1999 to 2000, while working as Personal Assistant on Legislative Affairs to Senator Abdullahi Wali, the then Senate Leader.

In 2003, he decided to run for a legislative seat as representative of the Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency. He was elected into the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

Few months to the 2007 general elections, he defected to the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), alongside the former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa. But when the DPP denied return tickets to former ANPP legislators, Tambuwal swung back to the ANPP, where he eventually succeeded in picking up a ticket for the election.

 

Abubakar Sani Bello was born on 17 December 1967, the son of the former military Governor of old Kano state, Col. Sani Bello. He attended St. Loius primary school, Kano from 1974 to 1979 and went to the Nigerian Military School from 1980 to 1985, He studied at the University of Maiduguri from 1986 to 1991, where he obtained a B.Sc in Economics. He has worked in various places in the country, starting from his NYSC days, where he was posted to serve in Port Harcourt in the marketing department of NICOTES Services as Supervisor.

Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello won the Niger State, APC gubernatorial primaries for the 2015 election. He polled 3,829 votes to defeat Senator Musa Ibrahim in the primary election. He later went ahead to win the general election with a total of 593,709 votes. He was declared winner by the INEC on 13 April 2015. On March 9, 2019, he was reelected as the Governor of Niger State.

On 24 August 2020, he endorsed a Reconciliation Committee and other committees at a State Executive Committee meeting, together with members of the National Assembly from the State led by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi and other Party Chieftains. This Committee’s aim is to rebuild and reposition the party for better performance in 2023 elections.

 

Dankwambo was born on 4 April 1962 at Herwagana Gombe. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1985, with a degree in Accounting. He obtained a Master of Science degree in Economics from the University of Lagos in 1992 and a PhD in Accounting from Igbinedion University. He began his career with Coopers & Lybrand in 1985, and worked at the Central Bank of Nigeria from 1988 to 1999. He was then appointed Accountant General of Gombe State, holding this position until 2005. He was appointed Accountant-General of the Federation on 20 April 2005. He also served on the Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He held this office until he resigned to start his campaign for election as Governor of Gombe State in January 2011.

He is a fellow of Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Bankers and Nigeria Institute of Marketers.

Dankwambo was elected governor of Gombe state in the 26 April 2011 election. He won the election with a total vote of 596,481 ahead of Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) with 91,781 votes and Senator Sa’idu Umar Kumo of the All Nigeria People’s Party with 84,959 votes.

As governor, Dankwambo lost his deputy, David Miyims Albashi, who died on 4 November 2011 in a German hospital due to injuries sustained in a car crash on 28 August 2011. On 17 December 2011, Dankwambo appointed Tha’anda Rubainu as Deputy Governor.  After his re-election in 2015, Charles Yau Iliya was his deputy governor till the end of his second term in 2019.

Dankwambo was elected into the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during the 2023 general elections under the People Democratic Party (PDP).  He polled 143,155 votes defeating his closest opponent, Senator Saidu Alkali with 77,948 votes.

 

 

Alhaji Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari (born 28 January 1968) is a Nigerian politician who was elected Governor of Zamfara State in the 26 April 2011 national elections, running on the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) platform. Following the merger of the ANPP and several other opposition parties into the now-governing All Progressives Congress, Yari became a member of the All Progressives Congress.

Yari began his political career in 1999 when he served as the Secretary of the then All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) between 1999 and 2003. He was elected Chairman of ANPP Zamfara State in 2003 and later rose to the position of ANPP National Financial Secretary and served in this position till 2007 when he was elected as Member representing Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency from 2007 to 2011.

On April 26, 2011, Abdul-aziz Yari Abubakar was elected Governor of Zamfara State on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP).

Again in the 2015 gubernatorial elections, he was re-elected as Governor under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

On May 18, 2015, Hon. Yari’s colleagues in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum unanimously elected him as their Chairman, succeeding Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

In addition, when Zamfara State Governor Mahmud Shinkafi defected to the PDP in January 2009, taking the ANPP’s state executive committee with him, the ANPP’s National Headquarters in Abuja was forced to create a Caretaker Committee headed by Yari. The committee’s tenure was repeatedly extended.

Yari was elected Governor of Zamfara State, Nigeria in the 26 April 2011 national elections, running on the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) platform. Similarly, Yari is the son-in-law of incumbent Governor Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), whom he defeated in the election by 514,962 votes to Shinkafi’s 460,656 votes. He said concerning the 2019 election that it is time to repay Buhari’s bailout gesture.

 

Gbenga Daniel (born 6 April 1956) is a Nigerian politician who served as Senator for Ogun East since 2023. He previously served as governor of Ogun State from 2003 to 2011.

He is the owner of Kresta Laurel, an Electro-mechanical Engineering company, he started in 1990. He is also the Founder of Conference Hotels with branches in Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Abeokuta and Isheri part of Lagos.

As governor, his programs on Public Private Partnership attracted several businesses into the State during his tenure. As one of the youngest kitchen cabinet members of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Daniel was in charge of the student wing of the Unity Party of Nigeria in 1978 but his sojourn in the UPN was short-lived after his father drove to the University of Lagos with a clear instruction to concentrate on his academic pursuit and leave politics. After graduation and establishment of Kresta Laurel, Gbenga Daniel joined the Yoruba social-cultural group Afenifere under the then leadership of Pa Abraham Adesanya.

During the struggle against the military juntas and campaign for the reinstatement of the annulled June 12 election, Gbenga Daniel became one of the financiers of the National Democratic Coalition (Nigeria) NADECO providing supports to members who were fleeing the country to seek asylum abroad.

 

Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State was born on 1 March 1953 in Wamakko, Sokoto State. He spent five years (1968-1972) at the Sokoto Teachers’ College. After graduation, he worked as a teacher from 1973-1977 before being admitted to the University of Pittsburgh in the United States. He graduated with a B.Sc. in August 1980. Returning to Nigeria, he taught at Sokoto Teachers College.

Wamakko took a job as Principal Assistant Secretary of Zurmi Local Government Area (LGA), later being promoted to Acting Secretary. He worked at Kaura Namoda LGA, and was appointed Chairman of the Sokoto LGA from 1986-1987. He became General Manager, Hotel Management and Tourism Board, Sokoto. In March 1992, he was promoted to Director-General, Careers and Special Services, Governor’s Office, Sokoto in March 1992. He was elected Deputy Governor of Sokoto State to Governor Attahiru Bafarawa in 1999, on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He was re-elected Deputy Governor for a second term in April 2003. He resigned as Deputy Governor of Sokoto State on 15 March 2006.

Wamakko ran successfully for Governor of Sokoto State in April 2007 on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, and assumed office on 29 May 2007. Following an appeal, his election was annulled in April 2008 on the basis that he had still been a member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) when he won the PDP nomination. Abdullahi Balarabe Salame was appointed Acting Governor (11 April – 28 May 2008) while a re-run was arranged.  It was said that the contest was not so much between Wamakko and Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi of the DPP, as between Wamakko and his predecessor Attahiru Bafarawa, founder of DPP.  Wamakko regained his seat in the May 2008 re-run. His opponent claimed that the election was rigged and said he would appeal to the courts.

 

Orji Uzor Kalu (born 21 April 1960) is a Nigerian politician and businessman who is the Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District.  He served as Governor of Abia State from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. Kalu is the chairman of SLOK Holding and the Daily Sun and New Telegraph newspapers in Nigeria.

Prior to his election, he served as the chairman of the Borno Water Board and the chairman of the Cooperative and Commerce Bank Limited. Kalu was also a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and the chairman of the PPA Board of Trustees. He was the party’s presidential candidate in the April 2007 general election.  He is currently a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) after he officially announced his resignation as the PPA BOT chair.

Orji Uzor Kalu contested in the 2019 Nigerian general election to represent the people of Abia North in the senate, running under the banner of All Progressives Congress. He defeated the incumbent senator Mao Ohuabunwa with over 10,000 votes.

• 1999: He was elected as the Governor of Abia State on People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
• 2003: He was re-elected as Governor.
• 2006: He left People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and found Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA).
• 2007: He contested for the Presidential Seat on the PPA platform.
• 2007: His corruption trial began and he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC) in 2007.
• 2011: He contested as the Abia North Senatorial candidate on the PPA platform.
• 2012: He re-joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
• 2015: He later returned to Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) to contest for the Senatorial Election.
• 2016: The Supreme court ruled that he should stand trial, this was nine years after his legal battle with the EFCC.
• 2016: He joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) political party.
• 2018: He was given the Title: Danbaiwan-Hausa (Gifted Son of Hausa kingdom) by the Emir of Daura in President Muhammadu Buhari’s hometown.
• 2019: He contested for the Abia State Senatorial Election and he won.
• 2019: He was convicted and jailed 12 years for corruption in December 2019.
• 2020:He was released from prison by the judgement of the Supreme Court who ruled on Friday, 8 May that he was wrongfully convicted. The Supreme Court ordered a re-trial.

 

Ibrahim Gaidam was born on 15 September 1956 in Bukarti village, Yunusari local government area in the old Borno, now Yobe state. He attended the Borno Teachers’ College (BTC), Maiduguri from 1974 to 1979, where he obtained a Teachers’ Certificate. He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from 1981 and 1983, earning a Diploma in Accountancy. Later he returned to Ahmadu Bello University, earned a BSc in Accountancy Degree in 1990 and became a member of the Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria.

In April 2007, Ibrahim Gaidam was elected Deputy Governor of Yobe State on the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) platform, and was sworn into office on May 29, 2007. He was sworn in as Executive Governor on January 27, 2009, following the death of Governor Mamman Bello Ali in Florida of a liver problem. Alhaji Abubakar Ali, brother of Mamman Ali, was named as the new deputy governor.

Ibrahim Gaidam was appointed chair of the ANPP tactical committee for the 2011 elections.

Following violence and rioting incited by the Boko Haram radical Islamic sect in July 2009 in northern Nigeria, the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) called an emergency meeting in Kaduna to discuss security matters. Of the nineteen governors of northern Nigeria, only Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger, Mohammed Namadi Sambo of Kaduna and Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe attended in person.

In November 2009, Ibrahim Gaidam gave a Sallah goodwill message to the people of Yobe State on the occasion of the Eid el-Kabir celebration. In his speech, he cautioned youths against being incited to violence by selfish religious teachers and rumour mongers, referring to the violence in July, 2009. He called on all Muslims to cooperate with each other and to co-habit peacefully with followers of other religions in the state.

Gaidam was elected on 26 April 2011 for a second term as governor.

Gaidam was also elected on 11 April 2015 for a third term as governor.

Geidam was elected as senator representing Yobe East in 9th NASS on 23 March 2019.

 

Henry Seriake Dickson was born 28 January 1966 in Toru-Orua Town of Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. He is a descendant of the King Kpadia Royal House of Tarakiri Kingdom.

Dickson attended Kolobiriowei Primary School, Toru-Orua, from 1972 to 1978, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate and proceeded to Government Secondary School, Toru-Ebeni, in 1978 to 1983 where he got his West African School Certificate (WASSCE/GCE).

Dickson enrolled in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, to study law in 1988. He earned his LL.B in 1992. In 1993, he went on to earn his Bachelors in Law from the Nigerian Law School, and was also called to the Nigerian Bar shortly thereafter.

Alliance for Democracy

Dickson began his political career as a member of Alliance for Democracy (Nigeria) and was elected as the Bayelsa State chapter chairman of the party from 1998 to 2000. The political party produced a senator representing Bayelsa West, a member of the House of Representatives representing Sagbama – Ekeremor Federal Constituency and three members of the State House of Assembly from Brass Local Government. After his tenure as chairman elapsed, was elected national legal adviser of the Alliance for Democracy and served in that position between 2000 and 2002.

Attorney General of Bayelsa State (2006–2007)

In January 2006, Dickson was appointed the attorney-general and commissioner for justice of Bayelsa State (2006 to 2007) by the then Governor, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR.

As attorney general, he was a member of the Body of Benchers, member, Council of Legal Education and vice chairman of the State Advisory Judicial Service Commission.

House of Representatives

Dickson was elected to the National Assembly’s House of Representatives in 2007 and was appointed chairman, House Committee on Justice and member of several committees including Defence, National Security, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs

In April 2011, he was elected for a second term; this election was the first time that someone in his constituency has done this. In his second term, he was appointed Chairman House Committee on Special Duties.

At the National Assembly, he sponsored/co- sponsored several bills, which include:

• The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2009.
• The Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2009.
• The Political Parties(Internal Democracy)Bill, 2008.
• The Constitution Alteration Bill, 2010.
• The Legislative Houses, Powers and Privileges Act (Amendment) Bill, 2009.
• The Evidence Bill, 2009.
• The Kidnapping and Hostage Taking (Prohibition) Bill, 2009.
• The Freedom of Information Bill, 2007.
• The Court Ordered Elections (Streamlining of Tenure of Office) Bill, 2008.
• The Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2009.
• Transmission of power by a President or Governor amendment Bill (section 145), 2010

Senate

On 5 December 2020, Dickson won the Bayelsa West Senatorial Bye-Election with over 80% of the total votes and was sworn in as Senator into the 9th Senate replacing Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo on 15 December 2020.

Muhammad Adamu Aliero (born 1 January 1957) was governor of Kebbi State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He is a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He became Senator for Kebbi Central from June 5, 2007 till December 18, 2008.

Aliero was appointed Minister of the Federal Capital Territory by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in December 2008. He left office in March 2010 when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet.

His political career began in 1998 when, running on the platform of the now defunct United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), he contested and won a Senate seat representing the Kebbi Central constituency. The results of the election annulled soon after they were announced. Following the death of military dictator Sani Abacha and a brief period of transition, new elections were held. Aliero, now representing the All People’s Party (APP), contested and won the Kebbi State gubernatorial election. He was sworn in on 29 May 1999.

Aliero was re-elected in 2003 for a second four-year term and was one of only four incumbent ANPP (the APP was later renamed All Nigeria People’s Party due to a factional split) governors to maintain their positions.

Aliero left the ANPP and joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in February 2007. He contested the April 2007 general elections for the Senate and won under the banner of the PDP. He is currently the member representing Kebbi Central Senatorial District in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He has been switching from one party to the other. For example, he re-decamped to PDP after spending about a year in CPC in early 2012. He later moved from PDP to APC in 2014. He and his some of his close associates since 1999, like Sani Zauro, who was also former state chairman of defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) board of trustees (BoT) in Kebbi State also quit PDP for APC.

Goje was born in Pindiga, Akko LGA of Gombe State. He studied Political Science and graduated from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria. He was a member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly from 1979 to 1983. Goje became the Secretary of the National Institute For Medical Research in Yaba, Lagos State in 1984, continuing until 1989.

On 25 April 1998 Goje contested and won the seat of Senator representing Gombe Senatorial District on the platform of United Nigeria Congress Party conducted by the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) in the aborted democratic transition of General Sani Abacha.He went on to establish his own organization, Zaina Nigeria Ltd, from 1989 to 1999. The company was named after his mother, Hajiya Zainab. Goje contested for the seat of Senator in the Nigerian National Assembly in 1998 and later on became the Minister of State, Power and Steel from 1999 to 2001 under President Olusegun Obasanjo.  He was a two times elected Governor of Gombe State from 2003 to May 29th, 2011. In the April 2011 elections, He was elected Senator for Gombe Central on the PDP ticket. He was then re-elected in 2015, 2019 and 2023 General elections.

Senator Goje stepped down  for Senator Ahmad Lawan from the Senate Presidency race after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, June 6, 2019. From June 2019 through June 2023, Senator Danjuma Goje is the chairman of the Marine Transport Committee.

It is quite bugling the Nigerian state that claims to be democratic as enormous similarities with Aristocratic And Oligarch System of government, public servants seem to be wrongly motivated to serve in country . The powers and opportunities of the state as marginalized by the political class leaving the citizens with little or no access the state benefits and infrastructures.