Peter Obi, the head of the Labour Party and a former presidential contender, has criticized the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission for proposing to raise political office holders’ wages by more than 100%.
Obi called the action a “shameless grab for more” at the expense of Nigeria’s faltering majority in a statement posted late Wednesday on X. Obi maintained that the pay increase reveals the “greed and insensitivity” of political leaders and is “totally unjustifiable.”
He said, “The recent proposal by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission 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.
“Such thinking in the face of faster-eroding living standards of the people 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 office holders is totally unjustifiable considering the economic realities facing our country,” Peter Obi added.
The former governor of Anambra State emphasized that holding public office should serve the country rather than be a way to amass fortune. “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 office holders over that of security personnel, particularly police officers who are grossly underpaid and overworked,” he continued.
Since public employees are the backbone of the nation, Obi advised the government to refocus its efforts on enhancing their living conditions.
Additionally, he “called on the RMAFC to prioritise the welfare of Nigerians, particularly those in the public service, who have been neglected for far too long.”
