From Adetutu Folasade-Koyi, Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja and Chimwendu Obienyi

In spite of denial by the Presidency, outrage has continued to trail the reported 114 percent 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 (RMAFC).

Chairman, RMAFC, Alhaji Muhammadu Shehu, said having considered the impact of the review on the economy, the remuneration of the political, public and judicial office holders in the country was adjusted upward by 114 per cent.

He said with respect to allowances and fringe benefits, the commission recommended that the existing allowances be maintained at the current levels since that would translate to higher provisions in actual amounts when applied on the reviewed annual basic salary.

The chairman explained that with respect to the judicial office holders, the commission considered the introduction of three new allowances.

He listed the allowances to include Professional Development Assistant to allow for the provision of two law clerks to all judicial officers in the country; Long Service Allowance: to guaranty seniority/hierarchy between officers who have been on the bench for a minimum of five years and those that are appointed newly as well as Restricted  or Forced Lifestyle to take care of the nature of the lifestyle of judicial officers while in active service.

Shehu said the commission recommended January 1, 2023, as effective date for the commencement of the implementation of the reviewed remuneration packages.

But the Presidency has declared that RMAFC did not get approval to increase the salaries of politicians, judicial and public office holders by 114 per cent.

In a statement issued by Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, said no such proposal has been brought before the president for consideration.

He said: “We have followed with consternation the viral story of the purported 114% increase in the salary of the President, Vice President, elected Federal and State political office holders and judicial officers.

“We state without any equivocation that President Bola Tinubu has not approved any salary increase, and no such proposal has been brought before him for consideration.

“While we recognise that it is within the constitutional remit of Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to propose and fix salaries and allowances of political office holders and Judicial Officers, such can not come to effect until it has equally been considered and approved by the President.

“It is important to note that RMAFC, through its Public Relations Manager, has responded to this fake story being circulated and has already set the record straight.

“However, that this unfounded story gained prominence on social media and in a section of mainstream media, again, brings to the fore the danger fake news poses to the society and our national well-being.”

Obi, CTA fume

Despite the Presidency’s reaction,, Peter Obi, Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, activist-lawyer, Dele Farotimi, the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) and others have slammed the plan.

In a post via his verified Twitter handle, yesterday, Obi argued that one would have expected the leaders and public officeholders to focus on cutting cost of governance and alleviating the sufferings of Nigerians.

Peter Obi wrote, “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 (RMAFC).

“This is not the appropriate time for such 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. This is a moment when recent reform measures by the government have increased living costs astronomically.

“One would expect the leaders and public officeholders to focus on cutting the cost of governance, alleviating the sufferings of Nigerians. This moment calls for creative ways of pulling the majority out of poverty.

“In the immortal words of Shakespeare’s Julius Caeser, ‘What touches us ourself shall be last served.’

“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.”

CTA, in a statement by its executive director, Faith Nwadishi, described the move as a slap in the face of the suffering citizens who were already burdened by the removal of subsidies and the absence of adequate palliatives to address their grievances.

“The government’s decision to raise the salaries of government officials while neglecting the plight of ordinary citizens is a clear demonstration of a misplaced sense of priorities. While citizens are left to bear the full brunt of the removal of subsidies, grappling with skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and services, the government’s move to enrich itself further only exacerbates the growing inequality and widens the gap between the rulers and the ruled.

“It is deeply disheartening to witness such a blatant disregard for the well-being of the people. The removal of subsidies has caused immense hardships for ordinary citizens, who now face increased costs of fuel, transportation, and other basic necessities. These burdensome consequences have not been addressed adequately, and the absence of any meaningful palliatives further compounds the suffering of the already vulnerable populace.”

Nwadishi added that public officials should be servants of the people, working tirelessly to uplift the living standards of citizens and ensuring their well-being.

“The recent salary increment not only contradicts this fundamental principle but also undermines the trust and confidence of the people in their elected representatives.

CTA calls upon the government to immediately reconsider its decision and redirect its efforts towards addressing the pressing needs of the citizens. Additionally, the government must prioritize the provision of palliatives to alleviate the burdens faced by citizens, particularly those in vulnerable and marginalised communities.

Feel scandalised

Dele Farotimi said it was sad that government officials who were asking the Nigerian people to make economic sacrifice were not willy to do the same.

“A government says it has removed fuel subsidy and this resulted into a 300 per cent hike in the price of fuel. Now, not a dime has been added to the salaries of the public sector workers and nothing has been done to offer any form palliatives to the masses. The revenue mobilisation person who spoke on this issue is doing what he is empowered statutorily to do. But in the midst of all of this, we must look at the uptakes. The people are being told to offer more and more sacrifices but those who are purportedly supposed to rule us continued to enjoy perks that we are not even allowed to know. From what he said, only about N1 million is meant to be going to senators but we all know and we are asked to fill in the gap because of the opaqueness of the finances of Nigerian government particularly the legislators, nobody knows what is being taken home at the end of the day and we do know that with alacrity, the system has responded and responded to the increase of emoluments of these men by 114 per cent. So, this begs the question, how long will people continue to support this system that obviously does not feel the pain of the affliction and does not care in any way, shape or form for their welfare but ensures that those who are meant to sacrifice and rule and lead are the ones who are kept in comfort and luxury? I believe this is not a good uptake at all, not in this season and so this is very bad. The complete darkness of how much a public official takes home speaks to the kind of society we have built. I would even imagine that they should feel scandalised in these moments.”

Cut in cost of governance

Awual Rafsanjani, executive director at Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC), said rather than mull increment, government should cut down more on the salaries and allowances of the political office holders.

“If they go on with this increase, then the social inequality will be widened. Once ASUU says pay us reasonable amount as lecturers, you attack and blackmail them. Medical doctors say improve our services, you tell them to leave the country or leave the work. Security agencies demand improvement in the salaries, you punish them and take harsh decisions on them. A lot of states cannot even meet up to the 30 per cent of the minimum wage you set as a law and that is why you see some of the states are owing their workers for up to six months. You even see some state governors squander and pack away resources meant for the public. I think it is important that if we the citizens are told to bear the hardship and make sacrifices created by the same political elite, I wonder why the elites cannot do the same, instead they are all scrambling for the nation’s resources all for themselves and do that in many ways. This has to stop.

Senseless

Victor Chiazor, head of Research at FSL Securities the first thing we the masses need to understand is what is really the purpose of governance

“If it is for the people, then this increase does not make any sense. We have been battling with pain ever since the subsidy went up without even palliatives measures in place to aid us. This does not make sense at all.”