The call by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to raise the salaries of Nigeria’s political leaders has ignited anger across the country, and Peter Obi is amplifying that outrage.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party has slammed the move as “a shameless grab for more at the expense of Nigeria’s struggling majority,” warning that the proposal reflects the widening gulf between leaders and the people they govern.

“At a time when millions of Nigerians cannot afford food, when workers and security personnel are underpaid and overstretched, the idea of politicians awarding themselves a 100% pay rise is nothing short of scandalous,” Obi said.

For him, the debate goes beyond paychecks. It is about the meaning of leadership itself. “Public office is service to the nation, not an opportunity to accumulate wealth,” he declared.

Obi contrasted the Commission’s priorities with the reality of police officers, teachers, and other frontline workers whose pay has stagnated despite their critical roles in holding the country together. “The government must redirect its focus towards improving the living conditions of public workers, who are the backbone of our country,” he urged.

His remarks tap into the growing resentment that Nigeria’s political class is insulated from the harsh economic realities facing ordinary citizens. Inflation, food shortages, and a battered currency have left many families reeling, yet the conversation in government circles is about boosting politicians’ take-home pay.

Obi’s warning is not just a critique of the RMAFC. It is also a reminder of the moral question at the heart of governance: Who comes first, the people or their leaders?

“A new Nigeria is possible,” he insisted, but only if leaders abandon greed and embrace service.