A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos has ordered the Federal Government to recover pensions collected by former governors serving as ministers and members of the National Assembly.
This followed a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, in 2017 against the federal government over its “failure to stop former governors from receiving double pay and life pensions”.
The group had also sued the government for failing to seek the recovery of over “N40bn unduly received by the former governors” who are now serving senators and ministers.
The court order was made on Wednesday by SERAP in a tweet which read:
“BREAKING: We’ve obtained a landmark judgment from the federal high court ordering @NigeriaGov to recover life pensions collected by Saraki, Akpabio, others & directing the AGF to challenge the legality of states’ pension laws permitting former governors to collect such pensions.
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“The court has adjourned to 3 February 2020 for report of compliance with the judgment by the Federal government.
“We won’t rest until this judgment is fully enforced and ALL state governors follow the Zamfara state example by immediately abolishing pension laws in their states.”
Those named in the suit by SERAP as beneficiaries of this policy are Bukola Saraki, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Theodore Orji, Abdullahi Adamu, Sam Egwu, Shaaba Lafiagi, Joshua Dariye, Jonah Jang, Ahmed Sani Yarima, Godswill Akpabio Danjuma Goje, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Adamu Aliero, George Akume, Biodun Olujimi, Enyinaya Harcourt Abaribe, Rotimi Amaechi, Kayode Fayemi, Chris Ngige and Babatunde Fashola.
The court further ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, to institute appropriate legal actions to challenge the legality of states’ laws permitting former governors, who are now senators and ministers to enjoy governors’ emoluments while drawing normal salaries and allowances in their new political offices.
