Stakeholders have continued to speak up against the planned upward review of the salaries of political office holders by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC

Among those that spoke with Vanguard are Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP. You can read the reactions of other stakeholders to the salary discourse HERE.

In a chat with Vanguard in his personal capacity, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Baba, described the proposal as “disappointing, insensitive and provocative”.

Baba said the plan was “disappointing because, given the state of the economy and the hardships faced by the populace, political office-holders are least deserving of any upward review unless it is in the direction of drastic reduction in their earnings”.

He added that the move was “insensitive because it flies in the face of the current realities where about 60 per cent of Nigerians suffer multi-dimensional poverty and over 75 per cent of the population live on meagre incomes that cannot meet basic needs.”

According to him, the proposal is also “provocative because the average Nigerian already considers political office holders over-pampered,” warning that such action could “inflame passions and precipitate social unrest in a country where inequalities are widening and the middle class has nearly been wiped out.”

CUPP

Also, the CUPP described the proposal as a misplaced priority.

National Secretary of the CUPP, Chief Peter Ameh, said: “We are compelled to react to the recent proposal by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission to increase the salaries of elected political leaders, including the President and ministers.

“This move is causing widespread controversy and criticism by well-meaning Nigerians, and we share the concerns of many Nigerians who question the necessity and timing of this proposal.

“The RMAFC’s reckless haste in prioritising the greedy appetites of public officials over the desperate needs of the masses is a scandalous mis-step that must be condemned in the strongest terms. This is not governance — it’s a shameless grab for more at the expense of Nigeria’s struggling majority.

“The proposed 114% salary increase for political office holders is not only unjustifiable but also tone-deaf, considering the economic realities facing our country. We believe political office is a service to the nation, not a means to accumulate wealth.

“The lack of transparency regarding the current earnings of these officials, including substantial allowances and perks, is fueling public skepticism and mistrust, Nigerians demand transparency since these earnings are funded by public resources.

“Furthermore, we find it disturbing that the RMAFC is prioritising the welfare of political office holders over that of security personnel, particularly police officers who are grossly under-paid and overworked.

‘’We urge government to redirect its focus towards improving the living conditions of public workers, who are the backbone of our country.

“We call on the RMAFC to reconsider its proposal and prioritise the welfare of Nigerians, particularly those in the public service, who have been neglected for far too long.” (Vanguard)