Victor EzejaThe recent proposal for upward review of salaries for political office holders has continued to generate nationwide reactions as Nigerians query the justification for doing so.
Many critics, including human rights activists, labour unions and civil society organisations, have described the proposal as insensitive and unjust with regard to the prevailing economic realities that the ordinary Nigerians are grappling with.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) recently announced plans to review the salaries of political office holders in Nigeria, stating that their current earnings were inadequate to meet their basic needs amid rising economic challenges.
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, described the proposal as insensitive in light of the country’s current economic realities.
Falana said the RMAFC ought to have considered the living standards in the country, especially “the harrowing experience of ordinary people,” before making such a proposal.
He cited data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which revealed that over 133 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty, noting that the majority of the people are suffering.
“It is insensitive, therefore, for any agency of government, particularly RMAFC, to suggest an upward review of the emoluments of public officers,” Falana stated when he featured on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.
He argued that political office holders should not receive a pay rise while failing to address infrastructure decay and poor public services.
He said the harsh economic realities call for politicians to make sacrifices for the poor.
“This is not the time for public officers to justify increasing their stupendous salaries and allowances. I am very confident that RMAFC will have to review its position so that it does not further provoke the Nigerian people,” Falana further stated.
He urged political leaders to focus on creating a social safety net to provide relief for vulnerable citizens, instead of pushing for a salary increase.
The senior lawyer called for a holistic review of political office holders’ pay, including self-awarded allowances, estacodes, security votes, and other unaccounted funds.
Former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Dr Joe Aba, argued that while reviewing political office holders’ salaries might be justified, the current timing is inappropriate.
He emphasised that doing the right thing at the wrong time or in the wrong way can cause more harm than good.
Aba criticised the government for not demonstrating fiscal responsibility, stating that the current administration has the largest cabinet in Nigeria’s history (about 50 ministers), while continuously creating new agencies and commissions.
“The government has not demonstrated that it takes fiscal prudence seriously. We have the largest cabinet in Nigeria’s history. Every day, new agencies and commissions are created,” Aba stated.
“You cannot in good conscience announce an increase in the pay of political office holders when we already have about 50 ministers, countless assistants, special advisers, and technical aides. Nobody even knows the full numbers. It does not create the impression that this is the right thing to do at this time,” he added.
The Ex-BPE DG observed that the public sector pay system suffers from a “great distortion,” where officials at the same level earn different amounts. This lack of transparency and consistency, he said, needs urgent correction before any salary increases are considered.
Abah highlighted the irony of proposing a pay rise for political office holders while many Nigerians struggle with economic hardships and the government has only recently approved a ₦70,000 minimum wage, which many states are yet to implement.
He called for suspension of the proposed pay rise for politicians until the government addresses broader issues of fiscal prudence, transparency, and equity in public sector compensation.
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Aba’s views align with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which also condemned the proposed pay rise as insensitive and warned it could deepen poverty and inequality.
Also, civil society organisations kicked against the move. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend the proposed salary increase for political office holders.
In a statement signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP contended that the proposal is “patently unlawful and unconstitutional.”
The group criticised RMAFC for prioritising salary increases for politicians at a time when over 133 million Nigerians are poor and many state governments struggle to pay workers’ salaries and pensions.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
