The Benue State House of Assembly has repealed the controversial law granting lifetime maintenance benefits to former governors and their deputies.
On Monday, the 10th Assembly unanimously voted to repeal the law passed by the previous 9th Assembly in May 2023, just days before their exit, Daily Trust reports.
The repealed law had extended benefits to all ex-elected governors and deputies from 1999.
The current lawmakers argued that the law was anti-people and not enacted in good faith.
Speaker Aondona Dajoh ruled in favor of the unanimous decision to repeal the “Bill for a law to repeal provision for the maintenance of former elected governors of the state and their deputies and for other matters connected thereto 2024.”
Previously, the 9th Assembly, led by former Speaker Engr.
Titus Uba, passed the bill into law after it was presented by Hon. Geoffrey Agbatse, the then-chairman of the House Committee on Business and Rules.
The repealed law had stipulated the payment of a monthly stipend as basic pensions for former governors and deputies, equivalent to the current salaries of serving officials, to be drawn from the state’s consolidated revenue.
It also included a maintenance allowance of N25,000,000 for former governors and N15,000,000 for former deputies every four years.
Additionally, the law had provided for the procurement of two official SUVs for former governors and one official car for former deputies.
It also mandated the state government to supply a former governor with six personal staff, including a personal assistant, two drivers, two cleaners, and one cook.
A former deputy governor was to receive three personal staff, including a personal assistant, a driver, and a cleaner.
Other benefits included provision of security, yearly medical expenses, and replacement of vehicles every four years with new ones of the same quality and status.
