ADC rejects increase in salaries of political office holders

*Says Nigerians need pay-rise, not politicians.

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised strong objections to the proposed salary increases for Nigeria’s political office holders, describing the move as tone-deaf and an affront to the struggling Nigeria people.

The party raised the objection in a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba in Abuja.

The proposed review by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the ADC said,

would see the President, Vice President, governors, and other top officials receive substantial pay increases at a time when millions of Nigerians are grappling with the effects of inflation, rising fuel costs, and an inadequate minimum wage.

The party, which noted the constitutional mandate of the RMAFC to review salaries of political office holders, stressed however that considering such at this time further underlines how far this government is disconnected from the reality of Nigerian people.

The statement by Abdullahi reads, “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) strongly condemns the plan by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to  increase the salaries of political office holders, including the President, Vice President, Senate President, governors, and other top officials.

“We are aware of the Commission’s constitutional mandate to periodically review relevant emoluments of political office holders in the country. However, proposing such review at a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling with soaring food  inflation, high cost of fuel, inadequate and largely unpaid minimum wage would indicate a total disregard for the people.

“While  the Chairman of RMAFC attempting to justify the proposed increases by describing the current pay structure of political office holders as “inadequate, unrealistic, and outdated,” the ADC wishes to draw the public’s attention to the fact that these salaries are already supplemented with sundry bogus and opaque allowances,  perks, and other  discretionary funds, which together far exceed what ordinary Nigerians earn. How else are the political office holders able to support their lifestyle of luxury and opulence if indeed these “outdated” salaries means anything to them.

“For perspective, our national minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month — a figure that has been largely eroded by the APC’s inflation, even where it has been paid.

“Yet, unlike public office holders, most Nigerians do not receive additional allowances or emoluments to cushion the effects of the rising costs of living. “This is why, this proposed plan to increase the salaries of public office holders is not only tone-deaf, it is an all-out affront to the Nigerian people. It signals that the government is clearly disconnected from the struggles of ordinary citizens.

“In light of these developments, the ADC demands that this absurd plan be suspended immediately. No such increase should be implemented while ordinary citizens are grappling with extreme financial hardship.

“Government should focus on improving the lives of the people rather than improving the salaries of the President and other political office holders who already live in obscene indulgence.

“Government has no moral right to demand sacrifice from ordinary citizens while they focus on making lives easier for themselves.

“Political office holders cannot be insulated from economic hardships, while the everyday-Nigerian suffers.

“As a party, we strongly believe that rather than further enriching political elites, all government policies at this time should prioritize raising the minimum wage to a living standard, ensuring timely and fair salaries for our civil servants, and strengthening our social welfare programs to reach the most vulnerable Nigerians”, the statement said.

END