In the last three weeks, Akwa Ibom state has been in the centre of the news over a controversial governor/deputy governor amended pension law. FRANCIS OGAR pieces together some reactions trailing the ‘vexed law’
Reason for the law
Some people call it obnoxious, avaricious and self-serving while others describe it as criminal, but to the Speaker, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Sam Ikon, it was a law meant to protect public income and curb wastages. It all began when Governor Godswill Akpabio sent a bill-The Akwa Ibom amendment Governors and Deputy Governors Pension Law, to the state legislature. By the new law, Akpabio and his elected predecessors will earn N200million as pension annually.
Contents of the law
Blueprint gathered that the new law has placed an expenditure limit of a N100 million for the medical treatment for former governors and N50 million for former deputy governors. This sum, according to the law, can only be paid directly to the health institutions involved in the medicare of the respective persons and are not to be accessed by or paid to former governors or former deputy governors directly.
Also, the House, in its wisdom further resolved that a former governor be entitled to at least one unit of a 5– bedroom house in Uyo or Abuja and 300% annual basic salary in addition to salaries and allowances for their personal aides.
Similarly, former governors, under the new law, shall receive 300 per cent of the basic salary of the incumbent for yearly maintenance and fueling allowance as stipulated by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
Its absurdity
If the law is self-centered as believed in some quarters, the manner of its passage is not only absurd but leaves much to be desired. Prior to its passage, journalists who had taken their seats at the gallery were asked to take their leave and in just in a jiffy, the media was briefed five minutes after that the ‘deed’ is done and that 10 lawmakers voted in favour while nine were against. So, its naira rain for former governors of Akwa Ibom as well as their deputies. And in anger, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) asked for an audience with the journalists to be briefed. And just as the briefing was to hold, the speaker drove down to the NLC office and was joined by the union leaders to the Government House, Uyo. Till date, no formal reaction has come from the NLC.
Trailing anger
But the NLC’s seeming inaction would not stop others from pouring out their anger which ravaged the length and breadth of the state. Taking their destiny into their hands, the people strongly protested the speed with which the bill was passed and signed into law and as well questioned its sanctity and moral. Trouble began from Oron to Ini, Ini to Eastern Obolo, and continued spreading across the thirty one local government areas of the state like wild fire. Never in the 27 years history of the state, has an issue of public interest so generated such a controversy and dust as the recent passage into law of the bill.
The state is divided between Akpabio and the state assembly on the one side, and the people on the other. Vituperations targeted at both Akpabio and the legislators poured out from all directions. The passage of the bill into law has continued to attract more knocks than kudos.
It’s draconian, unfair-Bob
Prominent Akwa Ibom indigenes who have lent their voices to the condemnation include the University of Benin’s pro-chancellor and Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) chieftain, Senator Effiong Bob, the erstwhile lawmaker representing Uyo Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
He said: “This is out of harmony with decency. Imagine a situation where we have up to 10 former governors and deputies in the state. Have you thought of what this amount could do for the state in the areas of industrialization, agricultural development, education, and health and job creation? Akwa Ibom State is where more than 65 percent of the people are jobless because there are no industries for people to work. This is unfair and unacceptable.”
Continuing, the former lawmaker posited that “the morality in enacting such a law has no place in democracy. This is a replica of draconian laws and decrees of military regimes. This law is alien to democracy. It is totally unacceptable. The reasons for contesting for republic office is to serve the people and not to squeeze them dry. It portrays more greed than a genuine thank you from people of the state.
“The law is wicked and audacious. It is totally disgraceful for Akwa Ibom House of Assembly members to pass the bill into law without holding a public hearing to obtain input from the people whose resources would be used in financing the outrageous law.”
Bob further expressed dismay that “a bill of such critical nature could be passed into law within less than seven working days of its receipt by the House. The bill was drafted and sent with a covering letter dated May 15th, 2014. It was received by Acting Clerk of House on May 19th, 2014; and was submitted for your (Ikon) assent on Monday, May 19, 2014. On Wednesday, May 28th, 2014, you (Ikon) signed it into law. What an historic sped!”
Law criminal-APC
Also adding its voice, the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state described the law as criminal and fraudulent. APC noted that the speed adopted in the passages of the bill violated laid down legislative procedures as far as passage of bills into laws, are concerned.
While alleging that the lawmakers may have been compromised by the governor to do his bidding, the party through its publicity secretary, Samuel Sunday called for the scrapping of such law, adding that it should have been made to pass through public hearing.
According to Sunday, it is ironical that in a state where civil servants are not enjoying the best of welfare and primary school teaches as well as retirees denied their right of gratuity since 2009, such a law could be imposed on the people.
“Akwa Ibomites are wallowing in hunger, seeking simple bailouts of food, shelter, clothing and job opportunities, yet the government engages in stealing the common wealth of the masses, becomes richer and still went further to widen the gap that existed between the rich and the poor in their society,” added the APC.
Attah challenges media
And from a supposed likely beneficiary of the law , former Governor Obong Victor Attah, came a pertinent question bordering on what the current past leaders take.
He said: “If Godswill Akpabio says he conceived the new law to put a ceiling on the expense made on previous leaders of the state, somebody should have had the guts to ask him how much he has been paying to the past leaders.
“You journalists are afraid of Godswill Akpabio and that is why you have always shied away from asking some pertinent questions. Why don’t you people ask him how much the state has paid to its past leaders?. Why don’t you people ask him how much he has been paying to Obong Attah and others? I don’t like it when journalists always come to ask me about what is wrong in Akwa Ibom state instead of asking Godswill Akpabio.”
“He is the one who said he has been paying so much to past governors and wanted to put ceiling on what is paid out to check wastage of public funds.
Those who interviewed him should have asked him to mention just how much he has paid so far.
“They didn’t ask him much questions, they didn’t ask him to clarify on the projects he said he has been carrying out in the state. I don’t have anything to tell you since you do not have the guts to ask Governor Akpabio to present proofs of what he has been paying to past leaders of the state.
“You journalists should go and look at the law critically and ask him whether Obong Attah has been enjoying any of the benefits provided for in the law. You should also ask him whether he built a retirement home for me either in Uyo or Abuja. Ask him to tell you how much he has been paying to Obong Attah as retirement package after I left office. These are questions Akpabio should answer and should provide verifiable records to Akwa Ibom people and Nigeria,” the former governor noted.
Akpabio explains
But the governor in a sharp reaction described the attack on the law as laughable. While featuring on Channels Television, the governor said: “It’s a laughable situation that people generate controversy over the pension law. The law has been in existence in Akwa Ibom State. I am the one implementing it.
“I know what I am talking about and because I wear the shoe, I know where it pinches. All the former elected governors and their deputies have been enjoying their pension. The pension was first established in 2000 and was further amended with certain provision added in 2006.”
On the general principles of the new law, he said, “it’s really not a retroactive law, neither is it a new law. It is an existing law that went through amendment,” noting that the old law was open-ended in terms of benefits payable to past governors, deputies and their spouses.
Giving further insight, Akpabio explained: “We had a situation where bill from former deputies and their spouses worth N29 million were brought from several hospitals they claim they went for treatment abroad.
“Because the bill did not specify whether the hospital should be in Nigeria or not, most of what I have seen in the past seven years has been bills from hospitals abroad,” he said.
In the course of implementing the existing law, Akpabio claimed some former governors and their deputies had brought bills ranging from $50,000,$70,000, and sometimes $112,000. He argued that it was against decorum to question the medical bills of the past leaders on grounds that they were high, even as he cited an instance where a beneficiary sought for funds from the state to hire an airline to take his spouse for treatment abroad.
House clarifies
Explaining the legislature’s role in the saga that the law is turning out to, the speaker said the House had been misrepresented. According to him, “the intent of the law was a patriotic duty exercised by the House in observance of its sworn duty to uphold the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, respect public trust and protect public income.”
Although, it is alleged and insinuated that a billion naira gratification was shared among the lawmakers, this however could not be ascertained as at the time of this report.
Democracy at work
Analysts are of the view that the criticism trailing this new law is a demonstration of the love the people have for their state, and also a further manifestation of democracy at work. It is not in dispute that the current administration has recorded some modest achievements for which it is getting accolade. This nevertheless should not be an excuse for the governor to milk the state dry in order not to diminish these feats. Certainly, Akpabio is on the threshold of history and as a listening leader, he should heed his peoples call.