Abuja-based lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has condemned the planned salary increase for the President, governors, federal lawmakers, and other political office holders, describing it as the peak of the government’s insensitivity to the suffering of Nigerians.
In a statement on Thursday, Olajengbesi, who is the Managing Partner of the Abuja law firm Law Corridor, noted that the political class has once again shamelessly exposed its greed and selfishness while millions of Nigerians are trapped in crushing poverty.
He noted that citizens have been left to groan under unprecedented economic hardship triggered by the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange windows.
Yet, the ruling elite is more concerned about enriching itself.
Olajengbesi said, "Some of the policies of the ruling class remain unthinkable - the latest being the move by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to increase the pay of political office holders.
"The announcement is an affront to the suffering of the Nigerian masses who have endured starvation and intense economic pressure since the removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023.
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“It is a disrespect to middle-class Nigerians whose eating formula has changed from three meals per day to 0-1-0.
"It is insulting to the average Nigerian worker who earns N70,000 minimum wage, yet Senators and House of Representatives members who earn jumbo pay monthly are considered for a pay rise.
"It is on record that in 2024, Abia North Senator, Orji Kalu, revealed that he earns N14m monthly for being a federal lawmaker.
"Also in 2024, Kaduna Central Senator in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani, said he earned N13m monthly and that current senators earn N21m monthly.”
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"Former Reps Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, also disclosed that he received N25m monthly as head of the green chamber,” he said.
The lawyer recalled that Borno South Senator Ali Ndume had revealed that, beyond their monthly salaries and allowances, each senator received over N200 million annually for constituency projects.
He noted that Cross River North Senator Agom Jarigbe corroborated this, noting that some ranking senators were allocated as much as N500 million each in the 2024 budget.
Critics argue it is unjustifiable for the RMAFC to consider increasing the salaries and allowances of political office holders who already rake in hundreds of millions, and in some cases billions, yearly from various sources.
"Nigerian political office holders should reject the proposed pay rise if they have any modicum of honour left in them. They have lessons to learn from Liberia's President Joseph Boakai, who slashed his salary by 40% to show leadership and empathy for the people,” he added.
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