Nigeria’s African Democratic Congress (ADC) has vehemently rejected a proposed plan to increase the salaries of the country’s political office holders, citing the need for ordinary citizens to receive a pay rise instead. The proposal, put forth by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), aims to review the salaries of top officials, including the President, Vice President, and governors.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the move as “tone-deaf” and an “affront to struggling Nigerians.” Abdullahi emphasized that the proposal demonstrates the government’s disconnect from the daily realities faced by its citizens. “We are aware of the Commission’s constitutional mandate to review salaries of political office holders, but proposing such at a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling with high food prices, rising fuel costs, and inadequate minimum wage only shows a total disregard for the people,” he said.
The ADC argued that politicians already enjoy substantial allowances and perks, which far exceed what ordinary Nigerians can earn. “How else are political office holders able to sustain their luxury lifestyles if not for these allowances? It is misleading to claim that their salaries are outdated,” Abdullahi added. The party stressed that the government should prioritize improving workers’ wages and welfare instead of focusing on politicians’ pay.
Nigeria’s national minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month, a figure that has been largely eroded by inflation. The ADC noted that, unlike public office holders, most Nigerians do not receive additional allowances to cushion the effects of rising living costs. The party has called for the immediate suspension of the plan to raise salaries for political office holders, describing it as “unfair and insensitive.”
According to the ADC, the government should be more concerned with improving the living conditions of citizens rather than raising the pay of politicians who already enjoy a life of luxury. The party emphasized that leaders have no moral right to demand sacrifice from the people while they continue to make things easier for themselves. The ADC stressed that politicians cannot be shielded from the country’s economic challenges while everyday Nigerians suffer.
The party believes that government policies should prioritize raising the minimum wage to a living standard, ensuring timely and fair salaries for civil servants, and strengthening social welfare programs to reach the most vulnerable Nigerians. The ADC’s stance highlights the need for the Nigerian government to reassess its priorities and address the growing economic disparities in the country.
