‘Provocative and scandalous’ — Obi criticises proposed salary hike for political officeholders

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, has criticised the proposed increase in the salaries of political officeholders.

On Tuesday, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) said it was considering a salary review that would see the president, the vice-president, governors and other top government officials receive a substantial pay rise.

Weighing in via a statement on his X page late on Wednesday, Obi said the plan was “provocative and insensitive” at a time Nigerians are battling worsening economic conditions.

The former governor of Anambra described the proposal as “a shameless grab for more at the expense of Nigeria’s struggling majority”.

“The recent proposal by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to increase the salaries of political leaders is causing widespread anger and bitterness among Nigerians, and we share the concerns of many Nigerians who question the necessity and timing of this proposal,” the statement reads.

“Such thinking in the face of rapidly eroding living standards not only portrays the insensitivity of leaders but also exposes their greed.

“The RMAFC’s reckless haste in prioritising the greed of politicians over the desperate needs of the masses is not only provocative but scandalous. It’s a shameless grab for more at the expense of Nigeria’s struggling majority.

“The proposed over 100% salary increase for political officeholders is totally unjustifiable considering the economic realities facing our country.

“We believe that political office is a service to the nation and not a means to accumulate wealth.

“It is very disturbing that the RMAFC is prioritising the welfare of political officeholders over that of security personnel, particularly police officers who are grossly underpaid and overworked.”

Obi asked the government to focus on improving the welfare of public sector workers who are critical to nation-building.

He also called on the RMAFC to prioritise the needs of ordinary Nigerians, especially civil servants, who he said have been abandoned for too long.