SERAP Sues Akpabio, Nine Other Ex-Governors for Double Pay as Senators

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and nine other former governors who are now senators to court over their alleged collection of both salaries and pensions as ex-governors.

The suit, which was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja last Friday, also includes Dave Umahi, the current Minister of Works, who was a former Governor of Ebonyi State.

SERAP is seeking an order to compel Mr Akpabio, nine other senators and Mr Umahi to stop receiving both salaries and pensions, and to refund any pensions they have collected to their respective state governments.

SERAP is also seeking an order to compel them to disclose if they have collected and/or are still collecting both salaries and pensions as former governors.

According to SERAP, the collection of both salaries and pensions by the former governors violates the Nigerian Constitution, the UN Convention against Corruption, and the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.

SERAP argues that the former governors should stop collecting both salaries and pensions and return any pensions collected, as required by the Seventh Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended).

SERAP also argues that the former governors should promote integrity and responsibility in the management of public resources, as required by the UN Convention against Corruption.

SERAP further argues that the former governors should not receive or be paid the emoluments of any public office at the same time as they receive or are paid the emoluments of any other public office, as required by Paragraph 2 (a) of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in the Fifth Schedule, Part 1 of the Nigerian Constitution.

SERAP claims that there are fourteen former governors in the Senate and as ministers who may be collecting pensions running into billions of naira from their states. The former governors include: Godswill Akpabio (Akwa-Ibom State); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo State); Adamu Aliero (Kebbi State); Dave Umahi (Ebonyi State); Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto State); and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger State).

Others are: Ibrahim Danwkambo (Gombe State); Danjuma Goje (Gombe State); Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara State); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun State); Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto State); Orji Kalu (Abia State); Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe State); and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa State). Also, there are at least seven former governors in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet who may be collecting both salaries and pensions.

The suit has not been assigned to any judge yet.

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