We can’t repeal ex-govs’ pension laws – Osun, Edo assemblies – Punch Newspapers
Ade Adesomoju, Okechukwu Nnodim, Samson Folarin, Sola Shittu, Peter Dada, Bola Bamigbola, James Abraham, Chima Azubuike and John Charles
Some state houses of assembly have kicked against an aspect of a judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos on the recovery of N40bn collected by some former governors who are now serving as senators or ministers.
The houses of assembly in separate interviews with The PUNCH, faulted the aspect of the judgment, which ordered the Attorney General of the Federation to take an immediate legal action towards the abolishment of state laws which permit “former governors, who are now senators and ministers, enjoy governors’ emoluments while drawing normal salaries and allowances in their new political offices.”
State assemblies including those of Plateau, Osun and Edo, in their reactions said they would not repeal the laws.
The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Frank Okiye, said the House had no plans to repeal the pension law for political office holders in the state.
Okiye stated, “In Edo State we have a law guaranteeing pension for a governor and his deputy. I do not think that it is anything less than playing to the gallery for any state government to repeal the law in its entirety.”
Also, the Osun State House of Assembly said it would not repeal the pension law for the ex-governors because the court judgment on the matter did not say the law was bad.
The Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House, Kunle Alabi, said the position of the court was that ex-governors in the National Assembly could not be drawing pension, while being paid salaries as federal lawmakers.
Court can’t compel us to repeal state laws – says Plateau lawmaker
In Plateau State, a member of the state House of Assembly, representing Riyom Constituency ,Mr Timothy Dantong, told one of our correspondents in Jos that the court could not compel the Assembly to repeal state laws in manners that were strange to the constitution
Dantong said, “I think the court doesn’t have the right to compel us to repeal any law just to satisfy any interest. Nigerians are aware that some of these court judgments have political undertone. In the case of the pension for former governors, we are still studying the situation.”
The Chairman House Committee on Information Gombe State House of Assembly, Tulfugut Kardi, in a telephone chat with one of our correspondents said, “We have never discussed anything like that (pension for governors). I am not aware of such”.
Also, the Head of Information in the House, Abubakar Umar, said in the state’s Executive Pension Law 2018, “The only mention of money is the money being collected by the governor as salary, whatever a governor is receiving as salary is his pension. Each state passes the law according to it peculiarities but in our own case there is no mention of amount to be paid.”
But the Chairman of the Benue State House Committee on Information, Tertisea Gbiseh, said that there was no law in the state that allowed former governors to collect pension.
READ ALSO: Untold stories of missing persons found in DSS custody
Gbiseh, in an interview with The PUNCH, said, “I am not aware of such a law, no such law is domiciled in the state, since we don’t have such law there is nothing to repeal. I don’t know if the former governors receive pension from the state.”
In Ondo State, it was gathered that a bill which was passed and signed into law in 2004 during the administration of the late former Governor Olusegun Agagu stipulated that the former governors and their deputies should be paid N8m and N7.5m respectively.
But the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Iroju Ogundeji, who spoke with our correspondent, said the House did not make pension law for former governors since he became member of the Assembly.
In a reaction, a former Deputy Governor of the state, Otunba Omolade Oluwateru, condemned the fat allowances being paid to some former governors in some states.
Our actions backed by law – Lagos
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, said the state had pensions for all categories of public servants, adding that the payments were backed by law.
He noted that Lagos was not involved in the controversy surrounding the payment of pensions and should not be brought into it.
He said, “Of course any official of Lagos State is entitled to pensions and if they are officials of the state government, they will have pensions. Whatever Lagos State is doing is backed by law. Whether you are a governor or not, you are entitled to pensions.”
According to the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension) Law No 11 official Gazette of Lagos State, 2007, former governors of Lagos are entitled to a house in Lagos and Abuja in any location of their choice.
However, the law adds that any governor who does not serve for two consecutive terms will only be entitled to a house in Lagos.
I’ll be guided by public interest, says Malami
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), reacted to the Wednesday’s judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Malami, through his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Gwandu, said in a short statement that he would be guided by public interest, legality and justice in complying with the judgment.
“We will work and be guided by the legality of the case the dictates of justice and public interest in complying with the judgment,” the minister was quoted as saying, on Thursday.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: UNIPORT ASUU withholds students’ results over lecturer sacking
I never requested pension from Rivers State – Amaechi
Meanwhile, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Thursday said he never requested nor collected pension from Rivers State as a former governor of the state.
Amaechi tweeted this via his official Twitter handle, while reacting to a tweet on ex-governors (who had served or are serving as ministers, senators) who a court in Lagos had asked the Federal Government to recover pensions from.
The minister also stated that even if he was offered pension, he would have declined.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
