The Delta and Edo State governments have spent over N842m on pensions and benefits for Ex-Governors James Ibori and Lucky Igbinedion of Delta and Edo States respectively, in the last 12 years, according to SUNDAY PUNCH.
Ibori and Igbinedion had shortly before the end of their tenure signed laws that would guarantee life pensions and bogus benefits for them and their successors.
The former Edo State governor had while in office signed a law which made all former governors and their deputies entitled to 100% of all allowances of sitting governors.
The law also makes the former governors to be entitled to an officer not above grade level 12 as a special assistant, and a personal secretary not below grade level 10, who shall be selected by the former governors of the states.
For former Delta State Governor, Ibori, who served between 1999 and 2007, he signed into law the Delta State Governor and Deputy Governor Pension Rights and Other Benefits Law 2005 which was later amended in 2009.
The law makes provision for an ex-governor to be paid allowances and other benefits which were pegged at N50m per year.
Such perks include: one duplex in any city of their choice within Nigeria, one sport utility vehicle and a backup car replaceable every two years, an office with four aides, two security personnel and a monthly salary, among others.
This means that Ibori has earned at least N600m and house modestly estimated to be worth N100m bringing the sum total of funds spent on the former governor at N700m.
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Oppressed Pensioners in Edo State, Osemwenkha Gabriel Osabuohien, has said it is unnecessary to pay former governors and their deputies pension considering what they made while in power.
He alleged that what they allegedly made while in office, both legally and illegally, would last them a lifetime.
He said, “It is unnecessary to pay them pensions as what they made either legally or illegally when they were in office will last them for a lifetime. It is also unreasonable at this time of our national life to be paying them pensions.
“The law granting them the right to collect pensions should be repealed. None of them collecting this huge pension will challenge its abolition if contacted because they know what they gained when they were in office.
“When they are in power, the public fund is like their own. They control a lot of money. Imagine what they spend during elections. They use state funds to get re-elected and control state funds. People who also need a favour from them bring them money and other gifts. So they are not broke.
“I have not seen any of them who left that office, became broke and suffering. But workers suffer while they are serving and after leaving the civil service.
He said that the average state pensioners have been owed gratuities for the past eight years, and it would be unjustifiable for the governors to promptly receive humongous amounts as pension for their eight years of service.
“Governors and deputies would have entitlements including cash, cars and houses. I don’t think it is a fair arrangement. There is a need for us to review this law given the fact that the economy cannot sustain it. People who served for 35 years are not being taken care of”, according to the Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani .