The All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has backed the move by Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, to stop pension for ex-governors and their deputies. He called the move by the governor as ‘bold and courageous’.
Chief Bola Tinubu who himself is an ex-governor of Lagos state, and one of those that would be affected by this move, said the stopping of pension to ex-government officials especially ex-governors and their deputies, is one to be commended.
Tinubu also spoke about the proposed 2021 budget presented by the governor, where he took to his official Twitter handle on Wednesday 11th November 2020, to congratulate the governor on the budget he said would empower the people of Lagos state and rebuild the state after the #endsars events. He said:
“Congratulations to Governor Sanwo-Olu over the Y2021 budget which he appropriately christened” Budget of Rekindled Hope”. This audacious and enterprising budget will empower our people and begin to rebuild Lagos State
In particular, I would also like to commend the Governor for the plan to commence the repeal of the Pension Law giving pension packages to former governors and their deputies.
This is a bold and courageous move by Mr. Governor and I wholeheartedly support him. I encourage all APC loyalists to do the same,” he said.
The statement by Bola Tinubu comes a day after the Lagos state governor unfolded plans to repeal the public officials’ pension law which grants certain benefits to former elected governors and deputy governors.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who gave the hint during his 2021 budget presentation to the House of Assembly, said he would send an Executive Bill to scrap the law because the entitlements were not sustainable due to financial constraints.
The N1.155 trillion budget was christened: “Budget of Rekindling Hope.”
The governor said the repeal of the law would reduce the cost of governance and foster the spirit of selfless service.
He said: “In the light of keeping the costs of governance low and to signal selflessness in public service, we will be sending a draft Executive Bill to the House immediately for the repeal of the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension Law, 2007), which provides for payment of pension and other entitlements to former governors and their deputies.
“It is our firm belief that with dwindling revenues and the apparent inflationary rates, we need to come up with innovative ways of keeping the cost of governance at a minimum while engineering a spirit of selflessness in public service.”
The pension law was passed by the House of Assembly in 2007. Other states, including Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, have also copied the law, which rights groups have criticised.
Former governors who are entitled to the benefits under the law are Alhaji Lateef Jakande (1979-1983), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (1999-2007), Mr. Babatunde Fashola (2007-2015), and Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2015-2019).
The ex-deputy governors are Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu (1991-1993), Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele (1999-2002), Mr. Olufemi Pedro (2002-2007), Prince Abiodun Ogunleye (2007), Princess Sarah Sosan (2007-2011), Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (2011-2015), and Dr. Idiat Adebule (2015-2019).
According to the pension law, an ex-governor is entitled to N30 million pension annually, a house in Lagos and Abuja, six brand new cars every three years, medical allowances and treatment in the hospital of choice in any part of the world, and other allowances.
The implementation of the law did not take off immediately. The backing of Bola Tinubu could mean the end of the pension law in the state, even though some ex-governors and Deputies have said they never benefited from such laws.