- Lagos state government awarded a ₦10 million contract for the design of Governor Ambode’s retirement home
- The move is part of the fat pension package which the state's Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension) Law, 2007, awards to ex-governors and their deputies
- Governor Ambode, who was unable to get his party's second term ticket, will hand over to his successor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on May 29
The Lagos state government has reportedly awarded a ₦10 million contract for the “production of architectural drawing for the proposed retirement house” for the outgoing governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.
Premium Times reports that the contract, which is being allegedly handled by Studio 3 Architects, was officially awarded by the state’s ministry of works and infrastructure on March 20.
After failing to secure his second term bid, Governor Ambode, who was elected into office in 2015, will hand over to his successor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on May 29
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Governor Ambode, as a former chief executive of the state, will become a beneficiary of the Lagos State governor and deputy governor pensions law, known as the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension) Law, 2007; one of the most lucrative in the country.
According to Section 1 of the law, any person who held office as an elected governor or deputy governor shall be entitled to the payment of pension at the rate equivalent to the annual basic salary of the incumbent governor or deputy and other benefits provided by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
The law stipulates that the pension shall be for life, provided the person was not removed from office by impeachment or for breach of the constitution.
The law shows further that there shall be one residential house each for the governor and deputy governor at any location of their choice in Lagos state; and one residential house in Abuja for the governor on two consecutive terms.
The law also stipulates three cars for the governor and, in addition, one pilot and two back-up cars to be replaced every three years.
The governor is also entitled to, among others, a furniture allowance of 300% of annual basic salary as well as a cook, steward, gardener, drivers, and other domestic staff who shall all be pensionable.
There shall also be free medical treatment for the governor and deputy governor and members of their immediate families.
Premium Times notes that apart from Lagos state, at least six other states also have similar pension packages for their former governors and their deputies.
The other states include Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Gombe, Sokoto, Kano, Kwara, Yobe, and Zamfara states among others.
Meanwhile, the revelation of the former governors’ and their deputies’ entitlements elicited outrage across the country, making the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to approach a federal court in Lagos in 2017.
The group reportedly sued the federal government over its “failure to stop former governors and now serving senators and ministers from receiving double pay and life pensions, and failure to seek recovery of over ₦40 billion of public funds unduly received by these public officers.”
The suit, according to Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP’s executive director, is still in court.
“What we see that is happening is so terrible and dangerous for the country,” Mumuni, a lawyer, said.
“Where people charged with executive and legislative powers make laws for their own selfish interests, instead of for the people.”
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Governor Ambode said he is leaving office a happy person and much wiser because he has touched humanity through the services he rendered to the people of the state in four year.
Ambode stated this when he spoke with State House correspondents shortly after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari.
The governor also expressed gratitude to God for giving him an opportunity to govern the state for the past four years.
Ambode said he mounted the leadership of the state as a technocrat but now leaving as a better politician and wiser.
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