Has FG Truly Approved 114% Salary Increase for Tinubu, Shettima, Govs, Others? Here Is What We Know

• Media reports on Wednesday, June 21, stated that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) had approved a 114% salary increase for Nigerian politicians and public officeholders
• However, the RMAFC spokesperson, Christian Nwachukwu, denied these reports and clarified that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had not approved the salary increment
• Nwachukwu stated that the proposal would still need to go through the legislative process and be sent to the National Assembly for consideration

On Wednesday, June 21, Nigeria's media space was awash with reports that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has approved a 114% increase in the salaries of elected politicians, including the President, vice president, governors, lawmakers as well as judicial and public office holders.

One of the reports was published by Daily Trust, which cited the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as its source.

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The report cited the RMAFC Chairman, Muhammadu Shehu, represented by a federal commissioner, Rakiya Tanko-Ayuba, as saying this at the presentation of reports of the reviewed remuneration package to Kebbi state governor, Dr Nasir Idris, on Tuesday, June 20, in Birnin Kebbi.

He said the implementation of the reviewed remuneration packages was effective from January 1, 2023, adding that the move was in accordance with the provision of paragraph 32(d) of part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 constitution of the federal government (as amended).

According to Shehu, the last remuneration review took place in 2007.

RMAFC is responsible for determining appropriate remuneration for political officeholders as outlined in the constitution.

RMAFC says President Tinubu has not approved salary increase

Following the backlash trailing the reports of salary increase, the RMAFC came out to say President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not approved the increment of salaries of political office-holders, judicial and public office holders by 114%.

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The agency's spokesman, Christian Nwachukwu, also denied the statement Tanko-Ayuba reportedly made when she represented the RMAC chairman in Kebbi, Leadership reported.

“Not my chairman. Not my chairman. My chairman has never made any statement on it. And I have not made any statement on it. No statement from chairman, no statement from me. So, I don’t know. I heard one of the Commissioners said it. I don’t want to be quoted,” Leadership quoted the RMAFC spokesperson as saying.

“No approval yet. There is no approval yet. I don’t know the source of that story. Everything is under the process. It has to come as a Bill for Mr President to assent.

“The President has not given assent. Until the President gives assent, you cannot take it as if it has taken effect. You know that. You are a journalist.

“I don’t want to be quoted wrongly. The President has not given assent to it. It is still under the process."

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Salary increase proposal to be sent to National Assembly

Speaking further, Nwachukwu said the salary increase proposal "will be sent to National Assembly.

"Whichever way, whether it has been sent or not, the President has not assented to it. All those legislative process has to be completed; finally, it will land on Mr President’s table for assent. That has not been completed," he said.

RMAFC spokesman declines comment on previous report

Asked if the story making the rounds on salary increment was not true, Nwachukwu, according to Leadership, said:

“Just take it the way you understand it so that you don’t quote me anyhow.”

On whether the RMAFC has sent the executive bill through FEC to the National Assembly for deliberation, Nwachukwu simply said:

“Everything is under the process.”

Buhari, Osinbajo, governors, others to get N64.72 billion severance packages

In a related development, Legit.ng previously reported that the final payment in Office for former President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former state governors, and other former political office holders who recently left office might cost Nigeria about N64.72 billion.

The amount also covers pay for former ministers, commissioners, National Assembly members, and other special advisers.

Source: Legit.ng