The Presidency says President Bola Tinubu has neither approved nor been presented with a proposal for a 114% remuneration increase.
A statement by Dele Alake, Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communications, and Strategy, followed a viral story claiming a 114% salary increase for the President, Vice President, elected Federal and State political officeholders, and judicial officers.
Social media storm
Though the Director of Public Relations, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission, Christian Nwachukwu has also denied the story, the social media storm surrounding the alleged 114% salary increase garned significant attention and led to a response from Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party. Obi who criticised the government, accusing it of engaging in measures that could be perceived as self-serving.
However, Mr Alake said the information was untrue, calling for a renewed conversation about fake news. “…this unfounded story gained prominence on social media and in a section of mainstream media, again, brings to the fore the danger fake news poses to the society and our national well-being.”
“The misinformation was, obviously, contrived to create ill-will for the new administration, slow down the upward momentum and massive goodwill the Tinubu-led administration is currently enjoying among Nigerians as a result of its fast paced, dynamic and progressive policies.”
He explained that it was within the RMAFC’s constitutional authority to propose and fix salaries and allowances for political officeholders and Judicial Officers, but that the President’s approval was also required, which has not been the case.
He reminded journalists, media managers, and members of the public that they should disregard stories about government activities and policy issues that do not originate from approved official communication channels.
