On Wednesday, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) announced its intention to take legal action against President Bola Tinubu in response to the alleged illegal 114 percent salary increment for Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. SERAP criticized the salary hikes of state governors and lawmakers as exorbitant.
In a tweet, SERAP stated, “BREAKING: We’re suing the Tinubu administration over its outrageous and illegal 114 per cent increase in the salaries of the President, vice president, state governors and lawmakers, while over 133 million Nigerians live in extreme poverty.”
The decision to increase the salaries of elected politicians, including the President, vice president, governors, lawmakers, and other public office holders, was approved by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). The RMAFC is responsible for determining appropriate remuneration for political officeholders as outlined in the constitution.
The RMAFC Chairman, Muhammadu Shehu, represented by Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, a federal commissioner, urged state Houses of Assembly to expedite the process of amending relevant laws to allow for upward revisions of remuneration packages for political, judicial, and public officers. This call was made during the presentation of the reviewed remuneration package reports to Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris on Tuesday in Birnin Kebbi.