TVC E. 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.
Barr. Jimi Abi a guest on TVC Breakfast show believes it is outrageous, because the poor in the society should be considered.
He said a vehicle or two is enough within 4 years and they should maintain the system of contributory pension. They must contribute what they earn, so that the government will not deep their hands into the money meant for another sector.
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).
