The Presidency refuted the claim that President Tinubu had given its approval for the salary increases for those holding political office and judicial officers on Thursday.
Dele Alake, the Special Adviser For Special Duties on Communication and Strategy for President Bola Tinubu, provided this clarification.
Recall that a report recently went viral claiming that the government had approved a new payment template that would raise salaries for those holding political office and judges.
Mr. Alake, however, responded to the report by saying, “We have followed with consternation the viral story of the purported 114% increase in the salary of the President, Vice President, elected Federal and State political office holders, and judicial officers.
“We state without any equivocation that President Bola Tinubu has not approved any salary increase, and no such proposal has been brought before him for consideration.
“While we recognise that it is within the constitutional remit of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission to propose and fix salaries and allowances of political office holders and Judicial Officers, such can not come into effect until it has been equally considered and approved by the President.
“It is important to note that RMAFC, through its Public Relations Manager, has responded to this fake story being circulated and has already set the record straight.
” However, the fact that 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 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.”
Journalists, media executives, and the general public were reminded by Alake that news about government actions and policy matters that do not come from authorised official channels should be disregarded.
