Stop Proposed Salary Increase For Politicians, SERAP Tells Court

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) from acting on the proposed salary increase for political and public office holders in Nigeria.

SERAP is also urging the court, in the suit which has not been assigned to any judge, to review downward the salaries and allowances of the president, vice president, governors, their deputies, and lawmakers, to better reflect the country’s economic realities.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1834/2025, the applicant also asks the court to declare that the proposed salary increase for the public officials was unlawful and unconstitutional, violating the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended) and the RMAFC Act.

The civil society organisation further wanted the court to determine whether RMAFC’s proposed salary hike was unlawful, unconstitutional, and inconsistent with the rule of law.

In an affidavit attached to the suit, SERAP averred that restraining the commission from arbitrarily increasing the salaries would serve the legitimate public interest.

The applicant also argued that RMAFC’s constitutional and statutory mandates do not grant it unrestricted powers to raise salaries for political officeholders.

The organisation maintained that reducing the officials’ salaries aligns with the Nigerian Constitution, international human rights commitments, and current economic realities.

SERAP further claimed that when RMAFC’s exercise of its powers conflicts with Nigerians’ fundamental rights, the public interest in upholding these rights should take precedence.

The applicant also contended that the proposed pay rise for political officeholders was a significant violation of the provisions in Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution concerning the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy and the country’s international human rights obligations.

The organisation further insisted that the combined provisions of Chapter 2 and Chapter 4 on fundamental rights, primarily Section 42, support the socio-economic rights of Nigerians and their right to equality and non-discrimination.

SERAP argued that RMAFC should focus on effectively carrying out its constitutional and statutory duties to monitor revenue accruals and disbursements from the Federation Account and to advise federal and state governments on fiscal efficiency and ways to enhance their revenue.

The applicant described the proposed salary increase as a gross misuse of RMAFC’s constitutional and statutory responsibilities and that the Commission lacks the constitutional and statutory authority to arbitrarily increase salaries for political officeholders, especially when over 133 million Nigerians live in poverty and several state governments were struggling to pay their workers and pensions.

SERAP alleged that RMAFC prioritises the interests of political officeholders over those of impoverished majority of Nigerians.

The organisation, therefore, urged RMAFC to balance the needs of marginalised and vulnerable populations against the interests of political figures, advocating for a reduction in the excessive salaries of public officials.