Founder of Follow The Money, Hamzat Lawal, has criticized Nigerian politicians seeking salary increases, urging them to resign and explore private sector opportunities instead of burdening already struggling citizens.

Speaking Thursday on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Lawal reacted to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission’s (RMAFC) recent proposal to review the salaries of political officeholders, including President Bola Tinubu.

“If they believe their salaries are inadequate, they should quit and find private sector jobs or even start businesses where they can pay themselves what they want,” Lawal stated.

He acknowledged that public office salaries hadn’t been reviewed in over three decades but argued that the country’s current economic conditions make such a review “insensitive” and ill-timed.

Lawal described the proposal as a “political trap” aimed at damaging President Tinubu’s public image, warning that any move to implement salary hikes would contradict the president’s earlier call for national sacrifice.

“Mr. President said Nigerians should tighten their belts so why are political leaders unwilling to do the same?” he asked.

The activist also criticized the RMAFC for failing to prioritize its constitutional responsibilities, such as ensuring value for public expenditure and promoting infrastructure investment.

He questioned why the focus remained on salaries rather than broader allowances, foreign travel estacodes, and the luxury enjoyed by top officials, such as armored vehicles.

Lawal further recommended slashing the salaries of high-earning politicians to boost the earnings of low-income public servants and called for full autonomy for local governments as a better use of national resources.

Meanwhile, RMAFC Chairman Mohammed Shehu revealed that President Tinubu currently earns ₦1.5 million monthly, while ministers earn under ₦1 million, a pay scale that has remained unchanged since 2008.

Shehu described these figures as outdated and inadequate in light of increasing national responsibilities.

Despite a decade of electoral reforms and technological upgrades, the 2025 by-elections have shown no significant improvement over past polls, says Bukola Idowu, Executive Director of the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI).

Speaking on Political Paradigm, a Channels Television programme, Idowu described last Saturday’s by-elections as a repeat of long-standing electoral failures, citing reports from both local and international observer groups.

“From what we observed across key states, there’s no marked difference between the irregularities in 2015 and what happened in 2025,” he said.

“We’re still seeing voter suppression, electoral violence, and issues with result transparency.”

Idowu singled out Kogi as a flashpoint of violence, while also referencing disturbances in Anambra, Ogun, Enugu, Kaduna, and Kano.

He criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for not fully uploading results to the IReV portal, despite having nearly a year to prepare following the postponement of the polls.

“INEC cannot continue to hide behind excuses like funding shortfalls. The delay should have provided ample time to get logistics right,” he stressed.

He also questioned INEC’s continued partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for election logistics, citing allegations of partisanship.

He called for private sector logistics providers to replace the union in future elections.

On voter turnout, Idowu noted a steady decline driven by waning public trust in the electoral system.

“The process has become increasingly transactional. Voters no longer believe their ballots matter,” he observed.

He added that international development partners who support Nigeria’s democratic process have grown disillusioned, with minimal progress despite significant investments.

Saturday’s by-elections were held in 16 constituencies across 12 states to fill legislative vacancies caused by resignations and deaths.

The elections included races for Senate, House of Representatives and State Assembly seats.

Professor Ornguga,

The Benue State House of Assembly has confirmed six out of eight commissioner nominees sent by Governor Hyacinth Alia but rejected the nomination of Professor Timothy Yangien Ornguga, citing multiple petitions and questions over his academic credentials.

During Thursday’s plenary session presided over by Speaker Aondona Dajoh, the lawmakers also turned down the nomination of James Dwen, directing the governor to submit replacements for both candidates.

Professor Ornguga, a law lecturer, faced scrutiny after four petitions were submitted by former students, alleging misconduct.

Additionally, members of the Assembly raised concerns over his educational background, particularly the absence of a primary school certificate.

The Majority Leader, Saater Tiseer, presented the petitions, while Manger Manger, the lawmaker representing Tarka Constituency, questioned the professor’s academic history.

In response, Ornguga denied wrongdoing, claiming that a grading issue involving a student was the result of interference by the dean of Benue State University, not personal misconduct.

Meanwhile, the House approved the nominations of six other individuals: Theresa Ikwue, Benjamin Ashaver, Adamu Ijaguwa, Peter Egbodo, Denis Iyaighgba, and Paul Ogwuche, all of whom were confirmed as commissioners-designate.

Following the session, the Assembly’s spokesperson and Makurdi North representative, Alfred Berger, addressed the media.

He clarified that the controversial report about a bill seeking to ban public displays of affection among couples in Benue was false and said a panel had been constituted to investigate the source of the misleading publication.

The Assembly is expected to reconvene on Friday to continue its screening of additional nominees.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday officially presented Certificates of Return to newly elected senators and House of Representatives members who emerged victorious in the August 16 by-elections.

The presentation took place at INEC’s national headquarters in Abuja, where National Commissioners handed certificates to the winners.

Among the new senators is Emmanuel Nwachukwu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), who was elected to represent Anambra South Senatorial District, and Joseph Ikpea of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who won the Edo Central Senatorial District.

Five newly elected members of the House of Representatives also received their certificates:

Barrister Omosede Igbinedion (APC) – Ovie North East and Ovie South West Federal Constituency, Edo State

Mukhtar Rabi’u Garki (APC) – Babura/Garki Federal Constituency, Jigawa State

Fidelix Bagudu (APC) – Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, Kaduna State

Adesola Ayoola-Elegbeji (APC) – Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency, Ogun State

Fola Oyekunle (PDP) – Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Oyo State.

A major rift has emerged within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as key leaders from Southern Nigeria have distanced themselves from a zoning summit currently taking place in Lagos.

The summit, convened by the party’s Zoning Committee at the Legend Hotel in Ikeja, is intended to discuss power-sharing arrangements within the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) ahead of the party’s upcoming convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, and to prepare for the 2027 general elections.

However, in a joint statement released on Thursday, several state party chairmen, National Assembly members and other prominent southern PDP stakeholders rejected the legitimacy of the summit, describing it as unrepresentative and exclusionary.

“Any resolutions or outcomes from that meeting are not binding on us and do not reflect the collective will of the PDP across Southern Nigeria,” the group said.

“Decisions made in secrecy and exclusion cannot represent consensus.”

The statement was signed by the PDP Chairmen of Imo, Abia, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers States; Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah, Venatius Ikem, Aniekan Akpan, and Aaron Chukwuemeka.

Others included the National Vice Chairman (South-East), Hon. Chidiebere Egwu Goodluck, and House Minority Leader, Hon. O.K. Chinda.

Also among the signatories were Senators Igwe Nwagu, Mao Ohuabunwa, George Sekibo and Mike Ama Nnachi, along with former National Secretary Rt. Hon. Onwe S. Onwe, Deputy National Legal Adviser Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha and ex-Ebonyi State Legal Adviser Barr. Mudi Erhenede.

They described the summit titled the “PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit” as flawed from the start, noting that several state chairmen, national officers, and prominent PDP leaders, especially from the South-East and South-South, were not invited.

“It is deeply disturbing that such a meeting took place without informing key state party chairmen and other vital stakeholders,” the statement said.

“Even the National Secretary and Deputy National Legal Adviser were left out, along with several former governors and high-ranking party members.”

The group accused the organizers of acting to promote the personal ambitions of a few individuals rather than the party’s collective interest.

They also noted that the official PDP Zoning Committee has not yet submitted its report to the National Executive Committee (NEC), making any early conclusions from this summit both premature and inappropriate.

They called on the PDP’s National Working Committee, NEC, and all party stakeholders to disregard any outcomes of the Lagos summit, labeling the gathering as “illegal” and “divisive.”

“This process undermines our party’s core principles of inclusiveness and consensus-building,” the group warned.