Labour unions, academics, lawyers and civil society groups in Nigeria have condemned a proposal to increase the salaries of political office holders, warning that the move would heighten public frustration amid worsening economic conditions.
The Ebonyi State branch of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and other stakeholders told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that the planned upward review of pay packages by the National Assembly and the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) was an affront to struggling citizens.
Professor Egwu Oguguo, chair of the Ebonyi NLC, criticised the initiative as “a violation of natural justice.” He said millions of Nigerians faced hunger and multidimensional poverty while officials sought to enrich themselves further.
Other critics agreed. Professor Fidelis Ochim from Federal University, Lafia, said the plan was a betrayal of government’s constitutional duty to protect citizens’ welfare. Abakaliki-based lawyer, Chidi Ude, argued the proposal lacked justification, pointing out that civil servants are still owed wages while politicians already earn some of the highest salaries in the world.
Civil society leader Angela Nwafor added that the move highlighted the disconnection between Nigeria’s ruling elite and the people, recalling a Senate president’s remark that “as you protest, we are eating.”
The groups collectively urged government to shelve the proposed increase, instead prioritising national security, improved workers’ pay, and measures to stabilise the economy. They warned that ignoring public hardship risked fuelling widespread social unrest.
