The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a legal action at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking to block the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) from implementing its proposed salary increase for top political and public office holders, including the president, vice-president, governors, deputies, and federal lawmakers.
This move comes on the heels of a recent announcement by RMAFC indicating plans to raise the pay of these officials.
The commission argued that current salaries are “paltry” and do not reflect the economic realities or responsibilities of their offices.
However, SERAP opposed the proposal, describing it as unconstitutional, unlawful, and grossly insensitive, especially at a time when millions of Nigerians face worsening poverty and economic hardship.
The suit, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1834/2025, was filed on behalf of SERAP by its legal team comprising Kolawole Oluwadare, Oluwakemi Oni, and Andrew Nwankwo.
In the legal action, SERAP is asking the court to declare RMAFC’s proposed salary increase for political leaders as invalid and contrary to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the RMAFC Act.
The group is also seeking an injunction restraining RMAFC from taking any steps to review salaries upward for the affected officials, an order directing RMAFC to instead review the salaries and allowances of the president, governors, and lawmakers downward to reflect Nigeria’s current economic realities.
According to SERAP, RMAFC has overstepped its constitutional mandate and improperly exercised its powers by prioritising the interests of political elites over those of ordinary citizens.
“When the exercise of RMAFC’s constitutional and statutory mandates clashes with Nigerians’ fundamental rights, the public interest in upholding these rights must prevail,” the suit reads in part.
SERAP further argued that approving a pay rise for politicians at this time would be a gross misuse of power and a violation of the constitutional provisions on Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, as well as international human rights obligations.
The anti-corruption organisation emphasised that the proposed salary increase comes at a time when over 133 million Nigerians live in poverty, and several state governments struggle to pay workers’ salaries and pensions.
“RMAFC cannot legitimately or justifiably increase the salaries of political office holders when millions of citizens are poor and public services continue to deteriorate,” SERAP said.
It added that the commission should focus on reducing excessive allowances, life pensions, and other perks enjoyed by political leaders instead of rewarding them with more pay.
“The idea of fairness, equality, and representative democracy would mean little if the salaries of political office holders are increased while millions of Nigerians are left to suffer declining living standards,” the group stated.
On August 18, 2025, RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Bello publicly defended the proposal, arguing that it was fair, realistic, and sustainable.
He noted that the allocation formula was last comprehensively reviewed in 1992, with several executive adjustments since 2002, but insisted that a full-scale overhaul was long overdue.
Bello claimed that raising salaries for political leaders was necessary to align with modern socio-economic realities and to compensate office holders adequately for their responsibilities.
SERAP, however, dismissed this reasoning as seriously flawed, stressing that political office holders already earn disproportionately high salaries and allowances compared to the average Nigerian worker.
The suit also referenced a June 4, 2021 judgment by Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
In that case, the court ordered RMAFC to review downward and fix salaries and allowances of National Assembly members to reflect the nation’s economic realities.
The ruling followed consolidated suits filed by SERAP, BudgIT, Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE), and over 1,500 concerned Nigerians, including lawyers, Monday Ubani and John Nwokwu.
SERAP argued that RMAFC has failed to comply with this earlier judgment and is instead pursuing a pay rise that blatantly disregards judicial directives.
The group urged the court to intervene and prevent what it described as a deliberate attempt to tilt governance further in favour of the political elite at the expense of the vulnerable majority.
“RMAFC should act to balance the interests of marginalised and vulnerable sectors of the population against those of political office holders,” SERAP argued.
It added that the commission’s current approach reinforces inequality, weakens public trust in government institutions, and undermines the principles of transparency and accountability.
As of the time of filing this report, no date has been set for the hearing of the suit.
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