The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to suspend its plan to increase the salaries of political office holders.

RMAFC Chairman, Mohammed Shehu, recently disclosed that President Bola Tinubu currently earns ₦1.5 million monthly, while ministers earn less than ₦1 million. He described the figures as outdated, noting they had not changed since 2008.

However, NLC President, Joe Ajaero, criticised the move as “insensitive, unjust and inequitable,” warning that it would widen the inequality gap between political office holders and civil servants.

Ajaero demanded that the earnings of all political office holders, as well as the benchmark for the proposed review, be made public.

“RMAFC should put this exercise on hold before it triggers a tsunami,” Ajaero said in a statement issued on Sunday.

He argued that the plan would further entrench poverty among Nigerians, the majority of whom have been classified as multi-dimensionally poor.

The NLC also faulted Shehu’s justification, saying political office already comes with extensive benefits disguised as allowances and privileges, while ordinary Nigerians continue to struggle.

The labour union noted that while promotions and wage reviews for civil servants are often tied to resource availability, the same principle does not apply to political office holders, whose salaries are uniform across states regardless of revenue disparities.

While acknowledging the need for fair remuneration, the NLC insisted such reviews must be equitable and not discriminatory. It warned that continuing with the plan would be akin to institutionalising economic apartheid.