By – Hussein Olanrewaju
A few days ago, the media space, both social and conventional, was awash with the news of the stoppage of the severance pensions and allowances of ex-governors and deputies by Abia state Governor, Dr Alex Otti in his state. The lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has also taken similar steps in order to free funds for other critical issues of governance and welfare of the people. Though this action is long overdue yet it is commendable.
It is worthy of note,that His Excellency, Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel former governor of Ogun state and a serving Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District of the state,set the ball rolling sometime ago in this regard when he wrote his state government asking that his pensions and other entitlements as a former governor be stopped and be deployed for the welfare and well-being of the citizens of the state. His exemplary conduct, which presents a pathway of moral rectitude and altruism in public service in our country, has endeared him to Nigerians.
Sadly,despite popular opprobrium and revulsion over this financial heist in the guise of pensions for those category of leaders when most pensioners in their respective states were yet to receive their entitlements and in flagrant disregard and scorn of subsisting Court pronouncements declaring those pensions illicit and unconstitutional,those pensions were still being paid by the states and unabashedly collected by the ex- governors and deputies.
With the action of the Abia state and Lagos State governors halting those obnoxious and nauseating pensions, we call on all other governors who are yet to comply with the court rulings to discontinue such payments. Furthermore, the ex-governors and deputies should emulate Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel and stop further receipt of those ignoble pensions. This is for the common good of their citizens and in obedience to the law and constitution of the country that deem such payments illegitimate.
His Excellency, Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel, is a trail blazer, a servant-leader, a man of the people, and a statesman. His attitude to public service as an instrument of touching lives and his penchant for transparency, probity, and accountability in governance is worthy of emulation.