Pension: Kwara has complied to Saraki request on stoppage, remittal

KWARA State government has said that it has complied to request of former two-term governor of the state and the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, to the effect that payment of his pension should be stopped.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, made available to journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday, said that the state government had also refunded amount of money already credited to the account of the former governor to the state government account.

The SSG said that it was Dr Saraki that considered morality of the situation in which the pension would put him, “since he is still a serving Senator and chose to abandon his legal rights”, adding that he should be commended for the decision.

The text of the statement read:

“The attention of Kwara State Government has been drawn to issues surrounding the payment of pensions to former governors of the state, especially the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON. As a result, the State Government wishes to make the following clarifications:

1. That Dr Saraki, as a two-term Governor, is entitled to pension as stipulated by the third schedule, Paragraph D (i) of the Governor and Deputy Governor ((payment of pension) Law, No. 12 of 2010 of Kwara State.
2. That the said pension has been duly remitted to his account, like other former Governors’, since he left office but when via a letter dated 20th August 2015 addressed to the state government, Dr Saraki requested that the payment of pension to his account be stopped and the amount already credited to the account be refunded to the Government, the State Government promptly complied.
3. That the Government not only stopped the payment of the said pension, the amount already paid into Dr Saraki’s account since he left office was deducted from the money owed to him as well as his other outstanding lawful entitlements.
4. In view of the foregoing, it should be noted that neither the Kwara State Government nor Dr Bukola Saraki violated the state pension law or any other law for that matter. The State Pension Law empowers the State Government to pay pension to former Governors of the State.
5. That the Kwara State Government will want to reiterate the fact that it was Dr Saraki who on his own volition considered the morality of the situation in which the pension would put him since he is still a serving Senator and chose to abandon his legal rights. We believe he should be commended for decision.
6. That it is the hope of the Kwara State Government that this clarification will end all the controversy about this issue”.

Meanwhile, an Ilorin based socio-political group, Kwara Agenda, has accused a Lagos based lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, of being in habit of accusing others while also covering his own deals.

In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Mallam Yusuf Olatunji, and made available to journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday, the group said it noted that Falana had been outspoken about the issue of payment of pension to former Governors which the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

It however advised the Senior Advocate to also make public how he purchased a property worth N600 million in the high brow area of Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja early this year and the source of the money paid for the property.

The group also called on Falana to explain what role he played in the disposal or sale of properties forfeited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by people convicted by the courts in the last 10 years.

“It is easy for people like Falana to grandstand and play to the gallery by issuing press statements accusing others and making demands on others. However, our position is that he who goes to equity must go with clean hands. You cannot demand probity and accountability from others while you hide some information about your transactions and financial dealings, particularly since a government agency or commission is being alleged to have been involved.

“Let it also be noted by all and sundry that the said pension was legitimately paid to Dr. Saraki and it was his personal decision to stop the payment of the money. The Government has equally stopped the payment. Saraki did not need to stop the payment since the law allowed it. He took a moral decision to stop the payment of the money into his account.

“Somebody like Falana should simply commend Saraki for his responsive and responsible action. Saraki has demonstrated leadership that others should follow. He deserves praise not the kind of negative response by Falana”, the group explained.