The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly objected to the proposed salary increases for Nigeria’s political office holders, describing the move as “tone-deaf and an affront to struggling Nigerians.”

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, issued a statement condemning the plan by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to raise the salaries of the President, Vice President, governors, and other top officials.

The ADC acknowledged the RMAFC’s constitutional mandate to review salaries but stressed that proposing such an increase now highlights how disconnected the government is from the realities faced by ordinary citizens.

“While the Chairman of RMAFC attempted to justify the proposed increases by describing the current pay structure as ‘inadequate, unrealistic, and outdated,’” the statement read, “the ADC wishes to draw public attention to the fact that these salaries are already supplemented by sundry bogus and opaque allowances, perks, and discretionary funds.”

The ADC noted that a national minimum wage of ₦70,000 is already being eroded by inflation, and unlike political office holders, most Nigerians receive no additional allowances to cushion the rising cost of living. “This is why the proposed plan to increase salaries for political leaders is not only tone-deaf but also an outright affront to the Nigerian people,” the party stated.

In light of this, the ADC demanded that the plan be suspended immediately. “No such increase should be implemented while citizens are grappling with extreme financial hardship,” the statement said. “Government must focus on improving the lives of the people, not enriching politicians who already live in obscene indulgence.”

The party concluded by stating its belief that all government policies should instead prioritize raising the minimum wage to a living standard, ensuring timely and fair salaries for civil servants, and strengthening social welfare programs for the most vulnerable Nigerians.