SERAP sues RMAFC over proposed increase in salaries of political office holders

By Omodele Adigun

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) over its plan to increase salaries of political and public office holders.

RMAFC had disclosed a proposal to increase salaries of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria last month, claiming their salaries are paltry.

SERAP, however, said it had filed a suit with number FHC/ABJ/CS/1834/2025 l/at the Federal High Court in Abuja challenging such proposal.

It disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by Kolawole Oluwadare, its Deputy Director.

In the suit, SERAP is asking the court to decide whether the proposed salary increase for the president, vice president, governors, their deputies, and lawmakers is not unlawful, unconstitutional, and inconsistent with the rule of law.

It is urging the court to declare that the proposed salary hike for politicians as unlawful, unconstitutional, and contrary to the rule of law, as it breaches the provisions of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) and the RMAFC Act.

SERAP is also seeking an order of injunction restraining RMAFC, its agents and privies from taking any step to review upward the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria.

It is also seeking an order directing RMAFC, its agents to review downward the salaries and allowances of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria to reflect the economic realities in the country.

SERAP is asking the court for “a declaration that the proposed salary increase for the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria is unlawful, unconstitutional and inconsistent with the rule of law as it violates the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and RMAFC’s Act.

“An order of injunction restraining RMAFC, its agents and privies from taking any step to review upward the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria.

“An order directing RMAFC, its agents to review downward the salaries and allowances of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies, and lawmakers in Nigeria to reflect the economic realities in the country.”

In the suit, SERAP argued that restraining the commission from arbitrarily increasing the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors, their deputies, and lawmakers would serve legitimate public interests.

It argued that RMAFC’s constitutional and statutory mandates do not imply the unrestrained powers to increase the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors, their deputies, and lawmakers.

SERAP is, therefore, seeking a downward review of the salaries of the president, vice-president, governors, their deputies, and lawmakers would be entirely consistent and compatible with the Nigerian Constitution, the country’s international human rights obligations, and the current economic realities in the country.