The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi has reacted to the proposed increment of the salaries of elected office holder, Judicial and public officers by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
On Tuesday, Muhammad Shehu, chairman of RMAFC said the salaries of politicians, judicial and public office holders will be increased by 114 percent.
But Mr. Obi in a series of tweets on Thursday, said this isn’t the appropriate time for such increment if at all it’s necessary.
Obi maintained that at a time the reform policy of the government has increased living cost astronomically, one would have expected the leaders to focus on cutting the cost of production and seek for productive ways of pulling many out of poverty.
I learnt with great reservation, the approval of a 114% increase in the salaries of elected politicians, including the President, vice president, governors, lawmakers as well as judicial and public office holders by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). This is not the appropriate time for such salary increment if it is at all necessary.
We are living in a time when an average Nigerian is struggling with many harsh economic realities, and with over 130 million Nigerians now living in poverty. This is a moment when recent reform measures by the government have increased living costs astronomically.
“One would expect the leaders and public officeholders to focus on cutting the cost of governance, alleviating the sufferings of Nigerians. This moment calls for creative ways of pulling the majority out of poverty.
“In the immortal words of Shakespeare’s Julius Ceaser, “What touches us ourself shall be last served.” The leaders, therefore, should prioritize what affects the masses and those on the lower strata of society over themselves.”
The Labour Party presidential candidate who’s at the tribunal seeking to upturn the election of the incumbent president, Bola Tinubu said the increment should be reversed immediately.
“The sacrifice, at this time in our nation, should be borne by the leaders. The increment should be reversed immediately, and the savings should be devoted to fixing education, healthcare and poverty alleviation especially in the remote rural areas.”
(Journalist101)
