Peter Obi Reacts To Proposed Salary Increase For Political Office Holders
- The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has reacted to the proposed salary increase for political office holders
- Obi slammed the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) over the proposed salary increase of over 100% for political office holders
- According to Obi, the planned pay rise for political leaders is a "shameless grab for more at the expense of Nigeria’s struggling majority"
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, stated that the proposed salary increase of over 100% for political office holders is unjustifiable.
Obi said the proposal by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to increase the salaries of political leaders is prioritising leaders' greed over basic welfare.
Source: Twitter
He said the proposal not only portrays the insensitivity of those in government but also exposes their greed, considering the country's economic realities.
The former Anambra state governor stated this via his X handle @PeterObi on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
“The RMAFC’s reckless haste in prioritising the greed of Politicians over the desperate needs of the masses is not only provocative but scandalous. It’s a shameless grab for more at the expense of Nigeria’s struggling majority!”
Obi said he shares the concerns of many Nigerians who question the necessity and timing of the proposal, stating that “political office is a service to the nation, and not a means to accumulate wealth.”
The leader of the Obidients Movement blasted RMAFC for “prioritising the welfare of political office holders over that of security personnel, particularly police officers.”
Obi called on the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government to redirect its focus towards improving the living conditions of public workers.
He said the public workers are the backbone of the country, and police officers who are grossly underpaid and overworked.
“We call on the RMAFC to prioritise the welfare of Nigerians, particularly those in the public service, who have been neglected for far too long.”
Reactions to proposed salary increase for political office holders
Concerned Citizen
@TimedFrank
“We believe that political office is a service to the nation, and not a means to accumulate wealth” - Peter Obi.
Same thing PO said when he rejected the plots of land duly allocated to him. Our 001 🇳🇬 for a reason.
@PeterObiUSA
Bola Tinubu has no interest in the welfare of the common man and woman in Nigeria 🇳🇬, only himself and his political allies, imagine civil servants struggling to even get the audio 70,000 Naira promised earlier to NLC in many states, and Tinubu wants to increase his own salary and those of Akpabio and Wike 🙆🏾♂️…
@MNneji12
Tinubu’s presidency is nothing but a money machine. From one increment to another—fuel, power, taxes—everything bleeds Nigerians while padding his pocket. He didn’t come to serve; he came to multiply wealth. Leadership is just a disguise; his true focus is fortune, not the nation’s future.
@jollynony
Peter Obi is likely the only politician who is in politics for service, not personal gain.
This is the man Soludo is always foaming in the mouth against. We know who is on the side of the people. Peter Obi’s heart is in the right place, and he has the competence to back it up.
NNPP rejects planned pay rise for president, others
Legit.ng earlier reported that the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) rejected the move by the RMAFC to increase the salaries of the president, vice president, and other political office holders.
Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, the southwest leader of the NNPP, described the move as insensitive and ill-timed because of the economic challenges in the country.
Ajadi explained that in countries facing economic challenges, such as Nigeria, the leaders take pay cuts, not increments.
How much Nigerian president, ministers earn every month
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that RMAFC launched a review of political office holders’ salaries, sparking widespread debate across the country.
Chairman Mohammed Shehu argued that current pay levels for top officials are outdated and disproportionately low compared to their responsibilities and agency counterparts.
While some Nigerians criticised the move amid economic hardship, others welcomed it as a step toward fiscal fairness and reform.
Source: Legit.ng
