ABUJA, Nigeria – Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has criticized the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, for its proposal to increase the salaries of elected politicians in Nigeria by 114%.
The proposed increase includes the salaries of the President, Vice President, Governors, and lawmakers.
RMAFC has faced heavy criticism after its Chairman, Muhammadu Shehu, announced the proposal for the salary increase during a presentation in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State.
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Mrs. Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, an RMAFC commissioner from Kebbi State, represented Mr. Shehu during the presentation.
Obi, who is also a former Governor of Anambra State, took to his verified Twitter account on Thursday, June 22, 2023, to describe the proposed salary increase as “insensitive”.
He warned that such an increase should not be the priority for a nation where the majority of the population is struggling with the minimum wage and where over 133 million Nigerians are living in abject poverty.
I learnt with great reservation, the approval of a 114% increase in the salaries of elected politicians, including the President, vice president, governors, lawmakers as well as judicial and public office holders by the Revenue Mobilisation,
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) June 22, 2023
He tweeted, “I learnt with great reservation, the approval of a 114% increase in the salaries of elected politicians, including the President, vice president, governors, lawmakers as well as judicial and public office holders by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.”
Obi continued by highlighting the current economic struggles faced by ordinary Nigerians and emphasized that this is not the time for a salary increase for politicians.
He expressed concern about the increased cost of living for average Nigerians due to recent economic reforms.
“This is not the appropriate time for such a salary increment if it is at all necessary. We are living in a time when an average Nigerian is struggling with many harsh economic realities, and with over 130 million Nigerians now living in poverty,” he added.
He urged the leaders and public office holders to focus on cutting the cost of governance and finding creative ways to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.
He quoted Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, saying, “What touches us ourself shall be last served.”
Obi called for the reversal of the salary increase and suggested that the savings should be invested in education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation, especially in remote rural areas.
He concluded by stating, “The leaders, therefore, should prioritise what affects the masses and those on the lower strata of society over themselves. The sacrifice, at this time in our nation, should be borne by the leaders. The increment should be reversed immediately, and the savings should be devoted to fixing education, healthcare and poverty alleviation especially in the remote rural areas.”
