• Ex-Ebonyi gov’ll do Nigeria proud as works minister, says Akpabio
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja and Chukwudi Nweje
The nation’s capital, Abuja, is agog as President Bola Tinubu inaugurates the minister-designate who would constitute the Federal Executive Council (FEC) today.
In a statement by Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, the process was seamless as each of them took less than 10 minutes to conclude the process.
He also said invitation cards for the three guests per minister-designate were successfully handed over to each them for onward delivery to their invited guests.
Bassey also said arrangements have been concluded to convey the ministers-designate from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to the venue of swearing-in ceremony.
He said: “We can authoritatively inform our colleagues (journalists) that as the documentation winds down today, so far we have successfully documented over 40 Ministers-Designate.
“The process was seamless as there were four registration points and it took the Ministers less than 10 minutes to complete the process.
“Also, invitation cards for the three guests of the Ministers-Designate were successfully given to each Minister for onward delivery to their invited guests.
“Meanwhile, arrangements have been concluded to convey them from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation tomorrow morning at 8.00am to the venue of swearing-in ceremony.”
On August 16, President Tinubu assigned portfolios to ministers-designate nine days after they were confirmed by the Senate. The ministers-designate began their documentation on Saturday and concluded the process yesterday. The documentation exercise was held at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Forty-five of the 48 ministerial nominees of President Bola Tinubu were confirmed on August 7 by the Senate.
While North West has 10 ministers, North East has six, North Central has eight, South West has nine, South East and South South have five each. President Tinubu retained the petroleum portfolio.
Three of the nominees – former governor of Kaduna; Nasir el-Rufai, former deputy governor of Taraba; Abubakar Danladi, and the nominee from Delta state, Stella Okotete – were not confirmed due to security reports.
• CSOs, others kick against ex-govs collecting multiple benefits
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked President Tinubu to publicly instruct the former governors who are now serving as ministers in his administration to stop collecting life pensions, exotic cars and other allowances from their states while they serve as ministers.
SERAP urged him to instruct the former governors to immediately return any pension and allowances that they may have collected since leaving office to the public treasury.
Former governors now ministers in the Tinubu administration are Badaru Abubakar, Nyesom Wike, Bello Matawalle, Adegboyega Oyetola, David Umahi, Simon Lalong, Atiku Bagudu and Ibrahim Geidam.
In the letter dated August 19 and signed by its deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said: “The appointment of former governors who collect life pensions while serving as ministers is implicitly forbidden by the Nigerian Constitution 1999 and the country’s international legal obligations.
“You would be acting in the public interest by stopping former governors now serving as ministers in your government from collecting life pensions, especially given the current grave economic realities in the country.”
The letter, read in part: “If the ministers that the president appoints are those who collect life pensions rather than serve the public interest, then that may show little about the conduct and integrity of the ministers, but speak volumes about the exercise of presidential power of appointment.
“While many pensioners are not paid their pensions, former governors serving as ministers get paid huge severance benefits upon leaving office, and are poised to enjoy double emoluments on top of the opulence of political office holders.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.
“Stopping the former governors from collecting double emoluments would be entirely consistent with the proper exercise of your constitutional power to appoint ministers.
“Stopping the former governors from collecting life pensions would ensure that the country’s wealth and resources are used for the common good and benefit of the socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians rather than to satisfy the opulent lifestyle of a few politicians.
“Instructing the former governors now serving as ministers in your government to stop collecting life pensions from their states would also improve public confidence in the integrity and honesty of your government.
The states currently implementing life pensions for former governors reportedly include Jigawa, Kebbi, Jigawa, Ebonyi, Yobe, and Rivers. Many of these states owe workers’ salaries and remain the poorest in the country.
Ide Goddy Uwazurike, legal practitioner and president of the Cultural Credibility development Initiative (CCDI) and Debo Adeniran, executive chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption & Open Leadership (CACOL) also described the practice as insensitive and criminal.
According to Uwazurike, while the states are at liberty to pay their former governors’ pension, such governor should give up the pension if he becomes a minister or senator.
“It is in all ramifications very insensitive and wrong. How can you collect such huge money from impoverished people?There is no problem if their respective state wants to pay them pension, but having serves as governor, it is morally wrong and satanic for a former governor to collect pension and at the same time collect salary as Minister of a Senator.”
On his part, Adeniran said it was criminal for former governors to take pension for being governor and still collect salary as minister or member of the National Assembly.
“That will be double emolument and it is not supposed to be so.The intention of pension and gratuity is that it is not likely that a worker will get another employment after retirement and governors are deemed to have retired from their job as soon as their serve out their terms of office. But, as soon as they get another job by becoming members of the National Assembly or becoming a Minister of the Federal Republic, they are supposed to give up the pension they collect as former governor…
“It is insensitive of them that after working for maximum of eight years and collecting so much as salary, they still go ahead to collect pension as former governor and salary as former governor and salary as minister or senator.”
Ex-Ebonyi governor
Senate President, Dr. Godswill Obot Akpabio, has said he has no doubt that former governor of Ebonyi State, Senator David Nweze Umahi, who takes oath as minister of works is a square peg in a square hole, and will add value to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Tinubu-led administration.
Akpabio in a congratulatory message to Umahi, on behalf of the 10th Senate, expressed optimism that Umahi, who until his appointment as Minister was Deputy Leader of the 10th Senate, would carry the same resourcefulness, team spirit, insight, and thoughtfulness which he displayed as a member of the 10th Senate to his new assignment and do Nigeria proud by transforming the country’s infrastructure.
The message read, “I am pleased to convey the profound felicitations of the leadership and distinguished Senators of the 10th National Assembly to our dear colleague, Sen David Nweze Umahi on his appointment by Mr. President as the Minister of Works. Our dear minister, we are proud of your excellent track records in infrastructural development which have endeared you to Mr President. While you worked in the Senate as Deputy Leader of the 10th Senate, you were a resourceful team player, richly insightful and wise.
“We have no doubt that given your track records of innovative leadership and antecedents of industry and deep sense of professionalism, you will make our dear nation proud. We hold you high as a good ambassador of the standards and etiquette required to transform our nation’s infrastructure sector.”
NPAN hails Edun, Idris
The Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has congratulated two former executive members of the association, Mr Wale Edun and Alhaji Mohammed Idris on their appointment as ministers.
This is contained in a statement issued by NPAN President, Malam Kabiru Yusuf on Sunday in Lagos.
President Bola Tinubu had announced Edun as the new Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Idris as the new Minister of Information and National Orientation.
Edun, an economist and former chairman of Vintage Press (publishers of The Nation Newspapers) was NPAN treasurer while Idris, public relations guru and publisher of Blueprint Newspapers, is former general secretary of the association.
Yusuf described the appointment of the duo as well-deserved, thanking the President for giving them the opportunity to contribute to nation-building.
“Their very rich resumes and track records speak for them and we congratulate them on their new assignment while thanking Mr President for giving them the opportunity to contribute to nation-building at this critical moment of national development,” he said.