Despite widespread hardship in the country, about 14 sitting senators who previously served as governors will be receiving over N5.6 billion each as pension and other benefits.

The senators include Senate President Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Ibrahim-Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe), Danjuma Goje (Gombe) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger).

Recall that former governor of Ogun state, Senator Gbenga Daniel, has publicly requested that he be exempted from the pension largesse.

According to Politics Nigeria, Investigation revealled that on the average, former governors earn N100 million yearly, including 100 per cent of the basic salary of incumbent governors, which the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) puts at N11.54 million.

Their allowances include furniture, 300 per cent of the annual basic; two brand new vehicles every four years, accommodation anywhere in the country, free medication for the ex-governor and his immediate family; Cooks, Stewards, Utility, Drivers and security.

With what is accruable to each of the 14 Senators every year, they will be receiving N1.4b per annum, making it N5.6 billion for four years apart from their salaries and sundry allowances in the senate.

The lifelong largesse is higher in states like Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Rivers.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had in 2020, sent a bill to the State House of Assembly to repeal the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension Law 2007), which provided jumbo payment of pension and other entitlements to former governors and their deputies.

Sanwo-Olu said stopping the pension would reduce the cost of governance, as well as signal selflessness in public service.

But the bill was amended by the Lagos State Assembly slashing the pension by 50 per cent and expunged provision of houses in Abuja and Lagos.

As a governor of Akwa Ibom, Akpabio signed the bill that capped the pension for ex-governors and allowances at N200m yearly.

If the state pension law of 2014 were to be fully implemented, the state may be spending over N600m on each ex-governor yearly.

Under the law, the ex-governor pockets N2,223,705.00; total of N26,684,460.00 as pension, yearly; a new official car and a utility vehicle once every four years, one personal aide and the provision of adequate security during his lifetime at the expense of the state government; N5 million or an equivalent of $50,000.00 monthly to engage the services of a cook, chauffeurs and security guards; free medical services at a sum not exceeding N100 million or an equivalent of $600,000.00, yearly. One house not below 5-bed maisonette in Abuja or Akwa Ibom, furniture: 300 per cent of annual basic salary every four years.

In Rivers, an ex-governor is entitled to have three new cars every four years, free medical care (no cap) for him and his family.100 per cent of annual basic salary of the incumbent governor, accommodation anywhere in Nigeria, Furniture: 300 per cent of annual basic salary every four years “en bloc”.

House maintenance: 10 per cent of annual basic salary. Domestic staff: Cook, steward, gardener and other domestic staff (no limit), who shall be non-pensionable. Security: Two SSS operatives, four policemen (two each for house and personal security); Personal Assistant (PA): 25 per cent of annual basic salary. Car maintenance: 30 per cent of annual basic salary.

Towards the end of his administration as governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom sent a bill to the House of Assembly for ex-governors to be receiving N138.49 million as pension every year.

However, a state like Gombe added 30 days annual vacation outside Nigeria and estacode for the ex-governor and a wife. Senator Goje signed the law as the governor of the state.