The Labour Party has strongly condemned the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) over its proposed salary increase for political officeholders, describing the move as insensitive and ill-timed.
In a statement released in Abuja, the party’s interim national publicity secretary, Tony Akeni, said the plan amounts to a betrayal of Nigerians who are already grappling with unprecedented economic hardship. He noted that while millions of citizens struggle to survive, government officials should not be thinking of fattening their paychecks.
Akeni stressed that instead of pushing for higher salaries for politicians, the RMAFC should focus on championing the welfare of Nigerian workers by advocating for a significant increase in the national minimum wage, currently pegged at ₦70,000. He argued that prioritizing workers’ earnings would not only boost productivity but also help alleviate poverty across the country.
The Labour Party spokesperson further pointed out that even the United States government has called for an upward review of Nigeria’s minimum wage, questioning why a foreign nation would show more concern for citizens than their own leaders.
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“If the US government could express empathy for the plight of Nigerian workers, then the RMAFC chairman and his members have no justification to ignore the suffering of millions while padding the pockets of the few,” Akeni declared.
The Labour Party maintained that any attempt to raise political salaries in the midst of widespread unemployment, inflation, and poverty would be seen as a reckless misadventure that could trigger public outrage. It urged the commission to immediately retrace its steps in the interest of justice and fairness.
