Peter Obi has condemned the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission’s planned salary increment for President Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, and other top politicians as a shameless and reckless move.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Obi described the move as prioritising the greed of politicians over citizens’ welfare amid prevailing economic hardship in the country.

“The recent proposal by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) 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,” Mr Obi said.

He added, “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!”

According to Mr Obi, a political office is a service to the nation, not a means to accumulate wealth.

The former Anambra governor noted that the proposed “over 100% salary increase for political office holders is totally unjustifiable,” considering the current economic hardship Nigerians endure.

He added, “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. 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.”

Mr Obi urged the government to redirect its focus towards improving the living conditions of public workers, who are the backbone of our country.

“We call on the RMAFC to prioritise the welfare of Nigerians, particularly those in the public service, who have been neglected for far too long,” he said

On Monday, RMAFC chairman Mohammed Shehu disclosed a plan to increase the salaries of Mr. Tinubu and other top politicians, stating that the president currently earns N1.5 million monthly, while ministers receive less than N1 million.

“You are paying the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria N1.5 million a month, with a population of over 200 million people. Everybody believes that it is a joke,” Mr Shehu said. “You cannot pay a minister less than N1m per month since 2008 and expect him to put in his best without necessarily being involved in some other things.’’