The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to halt a proposed salary increase for political office holders in Nigeria.
In a letter dated August 23, 2025, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP described the proposed pay rise for the president, vice-president, governors, their deputies, and lawmakers as “patently unlawful and unconstitutional.”
The organisation maintained that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission has exceeded its constitutional mandate by pushing for an upward review of political salaries.
“The imminent pay rise for political and public office holders in Nigeria is a gross misuse of the RMAFC’s constitutional and statutory mandates,” SERAP stated.
“The commission has neither unrestrained constitutional nor statutory discretion to arbitrarily increase the salaries of political office holders.”
SERAP warned that if the president fails to act within seven days, it would initiate legal proceedings to compel compliance.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven 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 in the public interest,” the letter added.
The group further argued that at a time when over 133 million Nigerians live in poverty, prioritising politicians’ salaries was unjustifiable.
“RMFAC seems to consistently give advantage to political office holders over the interests of poor Nigerians,” SERAP noted.
It recalled a 2021 Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor, which directed RMAFC to reduce lawmakers’ salaries in line with the nation’s economic realities. SERAP urged the government to comply with the ruling instead of pursuing fresh increments.
The rights group emphasised that any salary adjustment should focus on improving the welfare of judges to strengthen the justice system, not rewarding politicians.
“We support the upward review of the remuneration and allowances of Nigerian judges to address their persistent poor treatment and to improve victims’ access to justice,” it said.
SERAP insisted that President Tinubu had a duty, based on his oath of office and inaugural promises, to reject the proposal.
“Directing the RMAFC to suspend the imminent pay rise will be entirely consistent with your constitutional oath of office and your oft-expressed commitment to build a better society through the collective sacrifices of us all,” the group stressed.
RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Bello had earlier justified the proposed review, arguing that political salaries were “paltry” and needed to be updated to reflect “current socio-economic realities.”
But SERAP countered, saying such justification was “seriously flawed” and a direct violation of the Nigerian Constitution’s provisions on fairness, equality, and protection of socio-economic rights.