TVC E. Barr. Jimi Abia believes it is abnormal to double pay Governors, instead the poor who are entitled to their payment
should be considered and paid first.
Jimi who was a guest on TVC Breakfast show today Tuesday 12th of July 2016, confirmed the law in some part of the Constitution which states that, the Senate President and former Governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki, State governments are spending billions of naira in pension payments to their former governors who are also drawing salaries from public purse as serving senators and ministers.
There are 21 former governors and deputies in the Senate and President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet.
The Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) approves payment of 300 percent basic salary as severance allowances for political office holders on leaving office.
However, various state assemblies had approved a wide range of entitlements for ex-governors and their deputies.
Though the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Act doesn’t prohibit the former governors from drawing dual remuneration simultaneously, there are concerns on the financial implications on the states.
Only recently, President Buhari said 27 states were struggling to pay salaries despite collecting N662 billion bailout funds from the federal government last year.
The former governors now senators are: Bukola Saraki (Kwara), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Kabiru Gaya (Kano), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Theodore Orji (Abia), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi), Shaaba Lafiagi (Kwara), Joshua Dariye (Plateau) and Jonah Jang (Plateau).
Others are Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko (Sokoto), Ahmed Sani Yarima (Zamfara), Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), George Akume (Benue) and Isiaka Adeleke (Osun).
Former deputy governors in the Senate are Ms Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti) and Enyinaya Harcourt Abaribe (Abia) while Danladi Abubakar Sani was the acting governor of Taraba state.
Former governors now ministers include Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Chris Ngige (Anambra) and Babatunde Fashola (Lagos).
Largesse for ex-governors
The Lagos Pension Law approved by former governor Bola Tinubu in 2007, a former governor will enjoy the following benefits for life: Two houses, one in Lagos and another in Abuja. (Property experts estimate such a house in Lagos to cost N500m and Abuja N700m.)
Others are six brand new cars replaceable every three years; furniture allowance of 300 percent of annual salary to be paid every two years, and a close to N2.5m as pension (about N30m pension annually).
He will also enjoy security detail, free medicals including for his immediate families.
Other benefits are 10 percent house maintenance, 30 percent car maintenance, 10 percent entertainment, 20 percent utility, and several domestic staff.
In Rivers, the law provides 100 percent of annual basic salaries for ex-governor and deputy, one residential house for former governor “anywhere of his choice in Nigeria”; one residential house anywhere in Rivers for the deputy, three cars for the ex-governor every four years; two cars for the deputy every four years.
His furniture is 300 percent of annual basic salary every four years en bloc. House maintenance is 10 percent of annual basic salary.
In Akwa Ibom, the law provides for N200m annual pay to ex governors, deputies. He enjoys a pension for life at a rate equivalent to the salary of the incumbent governor/deputy governor respectively.
A new official car and a utility vehicle every four years; one personal aide and provision of adequate security; a cook, chauffeurs and security guards for the governor at a sum not exceeding N5m per month and N2.5m for the deputy governor.
There is also a free medical services for governor and spouse at an amount not exceeding N100m for the governor per annum and N50m for the deputy governor.
Also, there is a five-bedroom mansion in Abuja and Akwa Ibom and allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary for the deputy governor.
He takes a furniture allowance of 300 percent of annual basic salary every four years in addition to severance gratuity.
The Kano State Pension Rights of Governor and Deputy Governor Law 2007 provides for 100 percent of annual basic salaries for former governor and deputy.
Furnished and equipped office, as well as a 6-bedroom house; “well-furnished” 4-bedroom for deputy, plus an office.
The former governor is also entitled to free medical treatment along with his immediate families within and outside Nigeria where necessary. It is same for deputy.
Two drivers are also for former governor and a driver for his deputy; and personal staff below the rank of a Principal Administrative Officer and a PA not below grade level 10. There is a provision for a 30- day vacation within and outside Nigeria.
In Gombe, there is N300 million executive pension benefits for the ex-governor.
In Kwara, the 2010 law gives a former governor two cars and a security car, replaceable every three years, a “well-furnished 5-bedroom duplex,” furniture allowance of 300 per cent of his salary; five personal staff, three SSS, free medical care for the governor and the deputy, 30 percent of salary for car maintenance, 20 per cent for utility, 10 percent for entertainment, 10 per cent for house maintenance.
The Zamfara version of the law, signed in 2006, gives former governors pension for life, two personal staff, two vehicles replaceable every four years, two drivers, free medical for the former governors and deputies and their immediate families in Nigeria or abroad.
The law also gives the former governors a 4-bedroom house in Zamfara and an office, free telephone and 30 days paid vacation outside Nigeria.
In Sokoto, former governors and deputy governors are to receive N200m and N180m respectively being monetization for other entitlements which include domestic aides, residence and vehicles that could be renewed after every four years.
Section 2 (2) of the Sokoto State Grant of Pension (governor and deputy governor) Law, 2013 states that “the total annual pension to be paid to the governor and deputy governor, shall be at a rate equivalent to the annual total salary of the incumbent governor or deputy governor of the state respectively.”
