THE Senate, on Wednesday, approved life allowances for all former presidents, military leaders, Senate presidents and their deputies, Speakers of House of Representatives and their deputies, as well as former chief justices.
Also to benefit from the life allowances are the wives and children of late and living former presidents and vice-presidents.
The allowances will be incorporated in the annual budget of the Federal Government, which will make provision for their remuneration.
This was sequel to the passage of a Bill for Act to provide remuneration for former presidents, heads of federal legislative houses and chief justices of the federation (and other Ancillary Matters) 2010.
Consequently, Generals Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Murtala Muhammed, Olusegun Obasanjo, Sani Abacha and Abdulsalami Abubakar, would be beneficiaries, all being ex-military heads of state.
All the children and the wives of Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria’s first Prime Minister and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, first Governor-General and the late military leaders, Generals Murtala Muhammed and Sani Abacha were included in the life-long benefit.
Also included are former Senate presidents, Anyim Pius Anyim, Adolphus Wabara, Ken Nnamani, current president, David Mark and their deputies. Past and present heads of the House of Representatives and their deputies are also part of the benefitting public office holders.
In the former amendment to Section 84 (5) of the Bill by the Senate, payment of remunerations and allowances were restricted to only elected former presidents and the vice-presidents.
According to the Senate, all the beneficiaries are to be “paid up-keep allowances from time to time by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and shall be approved by the National Assembly.
“They are also entitled to the perquisites of office as recommended from time to time by RMAFC and approved by National Assembly.”
The bill stipulated that members of the families of the deceased former presidents and their deputy presidents shall be entitled to annual payments as shall be recommended by RMAFC and approved by the National Assembly and in a manner prescribed by the National Assembly.
It added that “the allowances specified shall be applied for the upkeep of the spouses and education of the children of the deceased former presidents and deceased former vice-presidents up to the university graduate level or its equivalent.”
However, sub-section 3 of the bill states that the allowance specified shall cease upon the death of the last spouse of a former public office holder.
The bill scaled the crucial second reading on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 and was then referred to the Committee on National Planning, Economic Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, chaired by Senator Zainab Kure, for further legislative action.
