The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said the proposed salary increases for political office holders are an affront to the struggling Nigerian people.
The proposed review by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) would see the President, Vice President, governors, and other top officials receive substantial pay increases.
But the ADC, in a statement by interim National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, condemned the increase and said it is coming at a time when millions of Nigerians are grappling with the effects of inflation, rising fuel costs, and an inadequate minimum wage.
The party admitted that it is a constitutional mandate of the RMAFC to review salaries of political office holders, but added that coming at this time further underlines how far this government is disconnected from the reality of the Nigerian people.
“We are aware of the commission’s constitutional mandate to periodically review relevant emoluments of political office holders in the country.
“However, proposing such a review at a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling with soaring food inflation, high cost of fuel, and inadequate and largely unpaid minimum wage would indicate a total disregard for the people,” ADC stated.
The statement added that while the Chairman of RMAFC is attempting to justify the proposed increases, by describing the current pay structure of political office holders as inadequate, unrealistic, and outdated, “these salaries are already supplemented with sundry bogus and opaque allowances, perks, and other discretionary funds, which together far exceed what ordinary Nigerians earn.”
It wondered how else political office holders could support their lifestyle of luxury and opulence if indeed the so-called outdated salaries mean anything to them.
ADC noted that the national minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month, which it said has been largely eroded by 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,” the party said.
It demanded immediate suspension of the proposed increases, warning that no such increase should be implemented while ordinary citizens are grappling with extreme financial hardship.
ADC said the 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, adding that the 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 prioritise 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 party stated.
