The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) yesterday began discussions towards the review of the remuneration packages for the President, Vice President, governors and other top public office holders despite a chorus of opposition to the move.

The Remuneration and Monetisation Committee Chairman Mohammed Usman said this at a retreat organised by the commission in Kano. Usman underscored the importance of the assignment, saying it would boost governance structure. According to him, the 1999 Constitution (as amended) empowers the RMAFC to determine appropriate remuneration for all levels of political, public and judicial office holders.

He said they had earlier taken some steps towards reviewing the remuneration packages to reflect prevailing economic realities. Usman said: “The RMAFC carefully considered a wide range of perspectives, including memoranda from stakeholders, public hearings and ministerial submissions, while also drawing from economic indicators and remuneration practices in other countries.”

He said the review process was not only about figures but also about sustainability and affordability. The agency chief said: “The Commission has equally analysed the capacity of the government to implement the review package, ensuring that recommendations remain fair, realistic, and sustainable.”

Usman said the committee was directed to harmonise the earlier report and subsequent addendum into a single document to provide a clear and comprehensive framework for implementation. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday strongly opposed the proposed pay rise for political office holders, insisting that the move was “an all-out affront to the Nigerian people”, demanding the suspension of “this absurd plan”.

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) Executive Director Auwal Rafsanjani, on his part, said there was no justification for the salary increase. He said: “There’s no justice in this collection, because for professors who have been in the university for 30 years, their salaries are nothing compared to a councillor or local government chairman.” Rafsanjani added: “If you look at the doctors, the professionals, what they earn is nothing to write about. There’s no motivation. And that is why many of them die in poverty.