No approval for pay increase for Tinubu, others – Presidency

The presidency says President Bola Tinubu has not approved a recommendation for political and judicial office holders to receive higher pay, after the revenue agency RMAFC said it approved a 114% increase taking effect January.

The adjustment by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), widely reported in the media, has not been passed into law and not approved by the president, spokesperson Dele Alake said Thursday.

– Key points to note

A senior official of RMAFC said on Tuesday in Kebbi state that the agency had more than doubled the wages of elected political office holders, judicial and other public office holders as there had been no review for 16 years.

Those included are the president, vice president, governors, deputy governors, ministers, commissioners, special advisers, legislators and other related officials. She said the amendment of relevant laws were needed for implementation.

According to the state-run News Agency of Nigeria, Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, a federal commissioner in the agency, while presenting the reports of the reviewed remuneration to Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi, on behalf of the chairman of the body, Muhammadu Shehu, said a review for this class of officials was last done in 2007.

“Sixteen years after the last review, it is imperative that the remuneration packages for the categories of the office holders mentioned in relevant Sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) should be reviewed,” she said.

– Why this matters

The remarks sparked outrage at a time Nigerians are facing rising living costs. Inflation rose 22.4% in the last one year to May and is expected to rise further following the removal of petrol subsidy and the devaluation of naira.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, criticised the review saying the timing was wrong, “if it is at all necessary”. He called for an immediate reversal.

– Learn more

The presidency said it followed the reports “with consternation” as RMAFC’s recommendations cannot be applied without the approval of the president.

“We state without any equivocation that President Bola Tinubu has not approved any salary increase, and no such proposal has been brought before him for consideration,” Mr Alake, who is special adviser, special duties, communications & strategy, said in a statement.

He branded the report “fake news” and said the “misinformation was, obviously, contrived to create ill-will for the new administration, slow down the upward momentum and massive goodwill the Tinubu-led administration is currently enjoying among Nigerians as a result of its fast paced, dynamic and progressive policies.”