Abuja, March 24, 2024 – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to obey court order by stopping the payment of pensions to former governors and their deputies.
SERAP made the call in a letter dated March 23 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare
The organisation recalled that it filed a suit seeking the repeal of payment pensions to former governors and their deputies across all states of the Federation in 2017.
Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State, ordered the Federal Government to recover pensions collected by former governors serving as ministers and members of the National Assembly in 2019.
But this ruling has not been implemented by the federal government.
Last week, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, took a step in this direction by repealing an Act of the state allowing former governors of the state and their deputies to receive pensions.
SERAP urged Tinubu’s government to obey the court judgment of Nov. 26, 2019 delivered by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo mandating formers governors and their deputies to refund pension paid to them.
“Justice Oguntoyinbo also granted ‘AN ORDER of mandamus compelling and directing the Attorney General to urgently institute appropriate legal actions to challenge the legality of states’ laws permitting former governors, serving as senators and ministers to enjoy governors’ emoluments while drawing normal salaries and allowances in their new political offices.
“Justice Oguntoyinbo also indicated that double emoluments for former governors are unacceptable, unconstitutional and illegal.
“We urge you to emulate the good example of governor Otti by urgently obeying the judgment, something which former president Muhammadu Buhari blatantly failed to do.
“Unless the judgment is immediately obeyed, former governors and their deputies, including those now serving as ministers in your administration and members of the National Assembly who receive pensions would continue to evade justice for their actions.” (GBN)
