“I Have Stopped Receiving Pension as a Former Kwara State Governor” – Bukola Saraki

Dr Bukola Saraki, the senate president of Nigeria said he had stopped collecting pension in Kwara state, where he was the governor between 2003 and 2011.
He said, on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja, that he wrote a letter to the state government to stop the payment of the pension.

In his statement Saraki said that, the move was a direct response to the complaints from some quarters that former governors who are currently senators or ministers were receiving pension and salary in their new jobs, all from the government.

A civil society organization, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), had accused the former governors of receiving double pay from government, and said it was illegal.

“No, I’m not collecting pension; the moment I saw that allegation, I wrote to my state to stop my pension.
“So, I speak for myself on that part; I’m not doing that, I am not receiving pension from my state,’’ he said.

On other senators involved on the issue, Saraki said

“I think I will leave everybody to their individual decision.
“Morally, if you have got another job, you should give it up until when you are truly a pensioner.
“Some of these oversights are not addressing the issues. What the states should do is to go and amend their laws to say that if you have another appointment then you are not entitled to that benefit.
“With this, we will just simplify the matter.”