I never said soldiers should reject Tinubu’s salary hike – Peter Obi

Nigerian presidential candidate Peter Obi has denied claims he encouraged soldiers to reject salary hikes proposed by President Bola Tinubu. Obi released a statement on X, stating the report attributing such a call to him as false. The president of Nigeria had approved between 30 to 80 percent salary increases for the armed forces, effective September 1, 2026.

The increased pay would benefit around 250,000 personnel, raising the armed forces' annual salary bill from N660 billion to N924 billion, according to Bayo Onanuga, the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy. Despite the report, Obi reiterated his unwavering respect for the Nigerian security forces, particularly the Nigerian Army personnel, who serve our nation under challenging conditions.

He also emphasized that his priority would be to ensure the welfare, resources, safety, and honor of our soldiers if he were elected president.