A Lagos based Anti-corruption crusaders, the Committee for Transparency of Equal Rights has cautioned Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Governor to be careful in they called “his radicalization of ideas”. The governor had during his 2021 Budget presentation seek to repeal through an executive bill the payment of pension and entitlements to ex-governors and their deputies The public office holder (payment and pension law 2007) which provides for payment of pension and other entitlements to former governors and their deputies is not the exclusive preserve of Lagos State. The other States in Nigeria are also implementing the same provision. “Sanwo-Olu should not be in haste to dabble into affairs that affect the nation”, a statement signed by their spokesman Alhaji Jimoh Abdulrahman. “We are aware of the governors good intention, but he should be reminded that here are better things to occupy his mind than gambling with the entitlements of people who had served their nation diligently”, he stated. The group observed that if such a repeal is to take place it should be all over the country—not in the south. “Southern leaders should never be in a hurry to shoot themselves in the foot; there are people in the national Assembly who had served as governors, senators and members of Reps”, Alhaji Jimoh disclosed stressing that the place to start such negative decisions should be the reduction of the salaries of national assembly members. “We don’t know what Sanwo-Olu is trying to achieve; but if you look deeper, Northern leaders and their people are always silent on their welfare; our own leaders should try to focus on worthy ventures and let sleeping dogs be”, he declared. “The fact that they are ex-governors does not mean that their responsibility has reduced; otherwise why are they still rushing for appointments? he queried. “By repealing their pension and allowances, has that reduced corruption? What has happened to the Speaker Obasa accused of embezzlement? Jimoh asked. He, therefore, called on Babajide Sanwo-Olu to withdraw the bill without further delay because ex-leaders should earn their due so that they can live longer.”How can they survive in their old age? Do they want our ex-leaders to start looking fr job? Or is Babajide Sanwo-Olu coming up with a bill for maintenance of old people? Alhaji Jimoh concluded.
