Zamfara Assembly nullifies law authorising pension for ex-governors

The Zamfara House of Assembly on Tuesday abolished a law that allowed the payment of pension and other allowances for state’s former governors and their deputies.

The spokesperson of the state’s assembly, Mustapha Jafaru, in a statement to journalists said the ‘abolished’ law also affects ex-speakers of the house of assembly and their deputies.

The development is coming days after a former governor, Abdul’aziz Yari, in a leaked letter to the state government, requested his N10 million ‘monthly upkeep’, which he said had not been paid for some months.

The media aide to Governor Bello Matawalle, Yusuf Idris, on Tuesday confirmed that Mr Yari had written the request.

He said two days later he (Yari) also sent another letter of reminder demanding the payment.

Concerned assembly

However, the state’s house of assembly on Tuesday abolished the law authorising the payment of pensions to these categories of former officials.

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Presenting the bill before the house, the house leader Faruk Dosara, (PDP Maradun), urged his collogues to consider the ‘complete repeal’ of the law “which provides the jamboree payment for the former political leaders of the state at the detriment of the retired civil servants who have not been paid their entitlements over the years.”

According to the lawmaker, these categories of past leaders “are collecting over N700 million annually” which he said the present economy cannot accommodate.

Seconding the motion, Tukur Birnin-Tudu PDP member representing Bakura local government said the abolition of the law is necessary.

Expedited reading

After deliberations, the speaker, Nasiru Magarya pushed the process; the bill passed both first and second readings.

Later, the house went for a committee of the whole after which the bill went for a third reading.

The bill will now be sent to the governor for his assent, the spokesman said.

“With this development, all past political leaders in Zamfara will longer enjoy any entitlements unless those prescribed by the national revenue mobilisation allocation and fiscal commission,” Mr Jafaru quoted the speaker as saying in the statement.