RMAFC’s planned salary increase for political office holders is callous – LP

The Labour Party has criticised the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission’s (RMAFC) decision to begin implementing an upward review of political office holders’ salaries and allowances as callous in light of the hardships faced by ordinary Nigerians.

Obiora Ifoh, the Labour Party’s National Publicity Secretary, stated this in a phone interview with Vanguard on Sunday in Abuja.

He was responding to a statement attributed to the RMAFC Federal Commissioner in Charge of Gombe State, Kabiru Usman, who was quoted as saying in an interview with journalists, “The Commission, under paragraph 32b, is empowered to determine the salaries of political office holders and judicial workers in the country.” So we started working on it, we updated it, but we’re still assessing the situation.”

Ifoh added that it was unfortunate that the same administration that was preaching to Nigerians to adopt belt tightening measures and advocating for patience was also lobbying for hikes in political office benefits.

“This is happening at a time when ordinary Nigerians, particularly hardworking citizens, are demanding living wages through the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress with no positive response.”

“This comes at a time when the ill-conceived and ill-timed removal of fuel subsidies has exacerbated hardship for ordinary Nigerians.” We should be talking about improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians and reducing government waste.

“We in the Labour Party take solace in the hope that the Judociary, which is currently handling the appeal on the Presidential Election Petition Court’s judgement, will correct the errors in that judgement and give our party the opportunity to make a new Nigeria possible through good and purposeful leadership, which our Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, offers.”