Peter Obi denies asking soldiers to reject salary increase

The 2027 Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has firmly denied the report claiming he instructed Nigerian soldiers to reject the salary increment approved by President Bola Tinubu. In a statement on his verified X account, Obi called on Nigerians and the Armed Forces to disregard the false report.

He confirmed that President Tinubu had approved salary increases of between 30 and 80 percent for the armed forces personnel, effective September 1, 2026. The new pay package, benefiting approximately 250,000 personnel, would increase the armed forces' annual salary bill from N660bn to N924bn, according to President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Obi emphasized his unwavering respect for the security forces, recalling an incident where soldiers were killed by insurgents, which prompted him to question the protection provided to troops. He reiterated that the welfare and safety of security personnel would be a top priority if he were elected president. Peter Obi emphatically denied any involvement in the misleading report.