The Benue State House of Assembly has repealed the law granting life pensions to former governors and their deputies, which had been enacted just before former Governor Samuel Ortom left office last year.
This controversial law provided for the payment of a N40 million stipend over four months to ex-governors, in addition to two Special Utility Vehicles and six stewards.
Former deputy governors were to receive N25 million, one SUV, and three stewards.
On Monday, the House unanimously voted to scrap the law, citing its exorbitant provisions.
Leading the debate, Douglas Akya, chairman of the House Committee and representative of Makurdi South State Constituency, argued that the state could not afford such expenses from its limited resources.
He stated, “The law was not made in the best interest of the state, particularly at a time when workers were owed several months of salaries, pension, and gratuity of retired workers are not paid.”
Other lawmakers echoed this sentiment, describing the law as anti-masses.
Reacting to the development, Ortom’s aide, Terver Akase, told The PUNCH that the former governor was unfazed by the repeal.
“It was the state Assembly that passed the bill into law and if the same Assembly repeals the law, there is nothing anyone can say,” Akase said.
This move by the Benue State Assembly follows a similar action in Abia State, where the House of Assembly repealed a law allowing ex-governors and deputy governors to draw life pensions.
Governor Alex Otti signed the Abia State of Nigeria Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Repeal Law of 2024 on March 31, 2024.
