SERAP Demands Tinubu Halt “Unlawful” Pay Rise for Political Office Holders

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately halt the proposed pay rise for political and public office holders in Nigeria.

In a letter dated 23 August 2025 and signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged the President to direct the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to suspend the “patently unlawful and unconstitutional” salary increase for the president, vice-president, governors, their deputies and lawmakers.

SERAP further asked President Tinubu to reject the proposal and encourage his vice-president, governors, deputies, and lawmakers to do the same. It also urged him to instruct the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to ensure compliance with a subsisting judgment of Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor. The ruling directed RMAFC to review salaries and allowances of National Assembly members downward to reflect Nigeria’s economic realities.

According to SERAP, RMAFC has neither “unrestrained powers nor unbridled discretion” to arbitrarily increase salaries for political office holders. Instead, the commission ought to align its actions with constitutional provisions, Nigeria’s international human rights obligations and the principle of reasonableness.

The organisation stressed that suspending the pay rise would serve legitimate public interest, particularly at a time when more than 133 million Nigerians live in poverty and several state governments struggle to pay workers’ salaries and pensions.

“The imminent pay rise for political and public office holders” SERAP warned “is a gross misuse of RMAFC’s constitutional and statutory mandates and a violation of Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution, which outlines the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy”.

The group noted that the commission should prioritise cutting excessive allowances for political office holders and life pensions for former leaders, rather than proposing increments. It argued that arbitrary salary increases undermine fairness, equality, and representative democracy, especially while millions of Nigerians face declining living standards, epileptic electricity supply, and poor access to healthcare and potable water.

SERAP’s letter stated in part: “RMAFC cannot legitimately or justifiably increase the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers at a time when over 133 million Nigerians are poor. The idea of democracy and fairness would mean little if salaries of political office holders are arbitrarily increased while citizens continue to endure harrowing times”.

The organisation gave the government seven days to act, warning that it would take legal action if its recommendations are ignored.

Meanwhile, RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Bello, on 18 August 2025, defended the commission’s proposal, describing the salaries of office holders as “paltry” and insisting that the new package was “fair, realistic and sustainable.” He noted that the allocation formula was last overhauled in 1992, with only partial adjustments since 2002.

SERAP, however, insists that RMAFC should focus instead on fulfilling its mandate of promoting fiscal efficiency, monitoring revenue accruals and disbursement, and advising governments on sustainable revenue generation.

The group maintained support for an upward review of judges’ salaries and conditions of service, stressing that improving judicial welfare would enhance access to justice for victims of corruption and human rights violations.

The Federal High Court judgment referenced by SERAP was delivered on 4 June 2021 following consolidated suits filed by Mr. Monday Ubani, Mr. John Nwokwu, over 1,500 Nigerians, SERAP, BudgIT and Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria.

Under the Constitution, members of RMAFC are appointed by the President subject to Senate confirmation.