A Photo File of Femi Falana

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has criticised the proposed review of salaries for political office holders, describing it as “insensitive” given Nigeria’s current economic challenges.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Falana argued that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) had failed to consider the dire living conditions of ordinary citizens.

“I want to believe that the RMAFC has not taken cognisance of the living standards in the country, particularly the harrowing experience of ordinary people. The majority of our people are suffering. Going by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), we have more than 133 million people that are multidimensionally poor,” he said.

The senior advocate warned that any upward review of salaries for political leaders would be unjustifiable at a time when millions of Nigerians are battling poverty. He urged officeholders to forgo personal benefits and share in the sacrifices of citizens struggling to afford food, education, and healthcare.

“This is not the time for public officers to justify increasing their stupendous salaries and allowances. I am very confident that RMAFC will have to review its position so that it does not further provoke the Nigerian people,” Falana added.

He stressed that rather than pushing for salary increments, leaders should support social safety programmes that directly benefit vulnerable Nigerians.

The RMAFC had recently announced plans to review the remuneration of political office holders, arguing that current earnings were “inadequate, unrealistic, and outdated” in the face of increasing responsibilities. The proposal has, however, drawn widespread criticism, including from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which also labelled the move “insensitive” and “unjust”.

Falana further called for a holistic review of political remuneration that factors in allowances, estacodes, security votes, and other unaccounted funds, many of which, he argued, remain illegal under court rulings.

“You cannot in a democracy have funds that are not accounted for,” he cautioned, urging the RMAFC to work with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission to ensure fairness between political leaders and civil servants.