Lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly have kicked against total scrapping of the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension Law 2007), which ensures payment of pensions and other benefits to former governors Bola Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode and their deputies.
The lawmakers, on Monday, read for a second time a bill that seeks to repeal the law.
The debate on the new bill on the floor of the House was presided over by the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa.
The new bill is titled, ‘A bill for a law to repeal the law to provide for the payment of pensions and other fringe benefits to public office holders in Lagos State and for other connected matters’.
During the sitting for the debate on the bill, the lawmakers argued that it would not be too good to totally repeal the law.
They argued that there were some important sections and stipulations in the bill that should be considered.
While also contributing on the debate on the bill, Hon Oluyinka Ogundimu representing Agege 2, explained that the bill is to ensure the stoppage of pensions to governors and deputies when they leave office.
He added that this decision took into consideration the country’s current economic challenges.
Ogundimu argued that the governors and their deputies and other such political office holders should still be allowed to enjoy even some benefits.
The lawmaker argued that the bill should be amended in such a way that former political officers would not be exposed to security challenges because if the original law is repealed, it would mean withdrawing all security agents and domestic staff earlier attached to them.
Hon Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2), in his own contribution, said the objective of the bill as raised by the Executive is to ensure that the state begins to look inward in relation to the cost of governance.
Yishawu added that by virtue of his position as chairman of the committee on economic planning and budget, he has had the opportunity to check the finances of the state and would say Lagos is not very rich, but only has people who effectively manage its resources.
He argued that the security of the lives of such political office holders, when they leave office, should be considered, adding that the bill be committed to a committee.
The lawmaker representing Shomolu 2, Rotimi Abiru, said he supports an amendment to the law rather than its wholesale repeal.
Abiru said, “For a person who has served as chief executive of a state, I do not think it is nice denying them their benefits.
“I can appreciate that some of them move to other appointments. For these people, there can be a caveat. But for those who serve in that capacity and do not have any other thing to do after office, it may not be something elaborate, but something may be coming to them periodically.”
Similarly, the lawmaker representing Epe Constituency 1, Tobun Abiodun, said he does not subscribe to a total repeal of the law because it would result in the incumbent becoming corrupt throughout his tenure.
He said provisions should be made for governors, deputies and possibly speakers at the end of their tenure in office.
Other lawmakers also backed the amendment to the law. They include Jude Idimogu (Oshodi-Isolo 2), Saad Olumo (Ajeromi-Ifelodun 1) and Abdulsobur Olawale (Mushin 2).
Speaker Obasa, while rounding off the debate, observed the questions and suggestions raised by the lawmakers.
Obasa also concurred with the arguments that repealing the law in totality would expose former governors and deputies to security challenges and risks.
The Speaker then committed the bill to the House Committee on Establishment with a two-week mandate for a report to be submitted.
During the presentation of the 2021 budget proposal on November 10, 2020, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had assured that he would send a bill to the House of Assembly that would ensure the scrapping of pensions for former governors of the state in order to reduce the cost of governance.
According to the law signed by Tinubu during his tenure, former governors of the state are entitled to an array of benefits, including a house in any location in Lagos and another house in Abuja for a two-term governor; six brand new cars every three years, 100 per cent of the basic salary of the serving governor, free health care for himself and members of his family, furniture allowance, which is 300 per cent of their annual basic salary, house maintenance allowance and many other perks, including eight policemen and two officials of the Department of State Services for life.