Tinubu shouts from Paris after massive backlash across Nigeria
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
President Bola Tinubu has scrambled from Paris to refute news of approving a 141 per cent salary hike for himself, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Governors, and other political office holders while Abuja is bombarding citizens with more taxes.
Tinubu is currently in Paris attending the Summit on New Global Financing Pact
He had hardly landed in the French capital on Tuesday when the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) broke news of salary hikes for the billionaire President and other wealthy political office holders.
A statement Tinubu issued through his Communications Adviser Dele Alake, quoted by Arise News on Friday morning, reiterated the draft proposal announced by the RMAF has not been approved and is only being twisted by mischief makers.
The RMFAC is mandated by law to fix the salaries of public officials but its recommendations have to be passed by the National Assembly (NASS) and signed into law by the President.
Tinubu’s wife, Remi, boasted in May that the family is wealthy and would not steal or depend on Nigeria’s money to survive.
So, Nigerians received news of the salary increase with shock, against the backdrop of more hardship caused by fuel subsidy remove on top of skyrocketing inflation.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) railed against it, citing the need to increase workers’ salary instead. Other opinion leaders equally rolled their eyes.
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Obi slams proposed Tinubu’s salary increase as insensitive
Labour Party (LP) president candidate Peter Obi – who is challenging Tinubu’s election in court and also advocating for reduction in the cost of governance – described as insensitive the proposed salary increase for the President and others.
A statement Obi issued on Thursday described the recommendation as insensitive, especially coming at a time the country is struggling with payment of N30,000 minimum wage per month and 133 million citizens live in multidimentional poverty.
In his view, Tinubu and public officeholders should rather focus on cutting the cost of governance and alleviating the suffering of the masses.
“I learnt with great reservation, the approval of a 114% increase in the salaries of elected politicians, including the President, vice president, governors, lawmakers as well as judicial and public office holders by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission,” Obi posted on Twitter.
“This is not the appropriate time for such a salary increment if it is at all necessary.
“We are living in a time when an average Nigerian is struggling with many harsh economic realities, and with over 130 million Nigerians now living in poverty. This is a moment when recent reform measures by the government have increased living costs astronomically.
“One would expect the leaders and public officeholders to focus on cutting the cost of governance, alleviating the sufferings of Nigerians.
“This moment calls for creative ways of pulling the majority out of poverty. In the immortal words of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, ‘What touches us ourself shall be last served.’
“The leaders, therefore, should prioritise what affects the masses and those on the lower strata of society over themselves. The sacrifice, at this time in our nation, should be borne by the leaders.
“The increment should be reversed immediately, and the savings should be devoted to fixing education, healthcare and poverty alleviation especially in the remote rural areas.”