The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the Federal Government to recover pensions collected by former governors now serving as ministers and members of the National Assembly.
The court also directed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN to challenge the legality of states’ pension laws permitting former governors and other ex-public officials to collect such pensions.
Among those affected are former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, ministers and ex-governors cum Senators. Others include Babatunde Raji Fashiola, former governor of Lagos State and currently the minister of Works and Housing; Theodore Orji, and Orji Uzor Kalu, both former governors of Abia State and currently serving Senators.
The judgment by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo followed an application for an order of mandamus in suit number FHC/ /L/CS/1497/2017 brought by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
The judgment is coming on the heels of the invalidated pension law for former governors and other ex-public officers in Zamfara State, which provided for the upkeep of ex-governors to the tune of N700 million annually. The state has produced three former governors since 1999.
