The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Bola Tinubu to immediately suspend a proposed salary increase for political office holders, including the president, vice president, governors, their deputies, and lawmakers.
In a letter dated August 23, 2025, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation described the move as “patently unlawful and unconstitutional.”
SERAP called on Tinubu to instruct the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to halt the proposal, saying it violates the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights obligations.
The group also urged the President and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to comply with a 2021 ruling by Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor of the Federal High Court. The judgment had directed the RMAFC to review and reduce lawmakers’ salaries to reflect the nation’s economic realities.
The letter read in part: “The imminent pay rise for political and public office holders in Nigeria particularly the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers is a gross misuse of the RMAFC’s constitutional and statutory mandates.
“The RMFAC has neither unrestrained constitutional and statutory mandates nor unbridled discretion to increase the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers.
“On the basis of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the country’s international human rights obligations and the legal doctrine of reasonableness, the RMAFC has improperly and incorrectly exercised its constitutional and statutory mandates by increasing the salaries of political office holders.”
SERAP condemned the proposal, pointing out that more than 133 million Nigerians live in poverty while many states struggle to pay salaries and pensions.
It described the decision as a “gross misuse” of RMAFC’s powers, stressing that the commission must act in the public interest.
The organisation warned that if the President fails to act within seven days, it would seek legal action.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter.
“If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government and RMFAC to comply with our request in the public interest.
“RMFAC seems to act consistently to give advantage to political office holders over the interests of poor Nigerians.
“The RMFAC, in the exercise of its constitutional and statutory mandates ought to balance the interests of the marginalised and vulnerable sectors of the population against the ‘interests’ of political office holders.
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“The RMFAC ought to prioritise cutting the excessive amounts yearly budgeted as allowances for political office holders and life pensions for former presidents, vice-presidents, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers.”
The group added: “The idea of representative democracy, fairness and equality and non-discrimination would mean little if the salaries of political office holders are arbitrarily increased while millions of poor Nigerians continue to pass through harrowing times and watch their standards of living plummet.
“The grim condition of many Nigerians is worsened by the deterioration of public services where access to pipe-borne water and affordable health-care remains a dream and the supply of electricity is epileptic and unreliable in an era in which globalisation has made such services ubiquitous and cheap.
“The imminent pay rise for political office holders is a gross violation of the provisions of chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] relating to Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, and the country’s international human rights obligations.
“The combined provisions of chapter 2, and chapter 4 on fundamental rights particularly section 42 give meaning and substance to the socio-economic rights of Nigerians and their right to equality and non-discrimination.”
SERAP argued that suspending the plan would align with Tinubu’s oath of office and his inauguration pledge to build a fairer society.
“Directing the RMFAC to suspend the imminent pay rise for political office holders will be entirely consistent with your constitutional oath of office and your oft-expressed commitment including to work to ensure ‘a better society’ and ‘the collective sacrifices of us all’, as stated in your inauguration speech.
“SERAP also notes your commitment in your inauguration speech to ensure that, ‘Nigeria will be impartially governed according to the constitution and the rule of law.’
“The RMFAC should properly discharge its constitutional and statutory mandates to ‘monitor the accruals to and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account and ‘advise the Federal and State Governments on fiscal efficiency and methods by which their revenue can be increased.”
While opposing higher salaries for politicians, SERAP backed pay rises for judges, saying this would strengthen the judiciary and improve access to justice.
It also noted that RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Bello had on August 18, 2025, defended the proposal, describing current salaries as “paltry.”
Bello claimed the review was “fair, realistic, and sustainable,” adding that it was necessary since the allocation formula had not been fully overhauled since 1992.
However, SERAP recalled Justice Obiozor’s 2021 judgment in which the court ordered RMAFC to cut National Assembly salaries in line with Nigeria’s economy.
The group pointed out that under sections 154(1) and 156(3) and paragraph 31, Part I of the Third Schedule to the Constitution, commission members are appointed by the President subject to Senate confirmation.