The Senate, on Wednesday, threw out a bill which seeks an amendment to the provisions of pension packages for former presidents, heads of federal legislative houses and chief justices of the federation and other ancilllary matters.
The thrust of the bill, sponsored by Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, was to repeal the provisions of of CAP R6 LFN 2011, which provided for remuneration packages for former heads of state and Chiefs of General Staff (CGSs).
This was as Senator Smart Adeyemi said former heads of state should not only be banned from participating in partisan politics, but also be punished for raping democracy.
Adeyemi, who disagreed with the opinion of Senator Aisha Alhassan that former military rulers should be included in the package, said they should rather be made to tender an unreserved apology for truncating democracy at various times in the nation’s political history.
“If they have derailed a system, how will they now come up to see the system as good? We should be looking for punitive measures to stop further attempts at truncating the democratic process,” he said.
The bill, which was first read on the floor of the Senate last November, sought to ensure that only democratically elected former presidents and former presiding officers of the National Assembly were entitled to benefit from the entitlements.
Ndoma-Egba, in the lead debate, noted that an earlier bill was passed by the forth, fifth and sixth National Assemblies, but the sitting presidents then did not accent to it “for inexplicable reasons before it lapsed.”
He said he decided to reintroduce the bill “due to the exigencies of our time and the uncomfortable and sometimes embarrassing economic situation of past leaders of this country.
“The military government of General Abdusalami Abubakar, on May10, 1999, in the twilight of his administration, decreed a remuneration package for our former leaders.
“The 4th, 5th 6th National Assembly, thought it otherwise and, in a bid to strengthen our democracy, went beyond bars to remove former military Heads of State and Chief of General Staff who came to power through the bullet rather than by the ballot box from any benefit.”
Among other features, the Senate Leader said the bill also applied to former presiding officers of the National Assembly and former Chief Justices of the Federation.
He said the bill, when it becomes an Act, would consolidate the democratic process by making military coups unattractive and also encourage dedicated and altruistic leadership.
According to him, the bill would bring about stability in the polity as leaders would shun all impeachable acts and further entrench good governance in the country.
However, most of the senators present at the plenary were opposed to the bill, with Senator Aisha Alhassan disagreeing with the section that sought to exempt former military rulers from the remuneration package.
Senator Chris Ngige changed the course of the debate as he said Section 84 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) had taken care of what the bill was seeking for.
“The bill is good to the extent that we are trying to recognise those who have served the country meritoriously but care should be taken not to overstep our bounds.
“Section 84 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) has taken care of what the bill was seeking for. Are we going to make laws that are in conflict with the constitution? If we are desirous of doing something for our presiding officers, such should be referred to the Constitution Review Committee”, he said.
Senator George Sekibo was also totally opposed to bill as he said that it would eventually increase the cost of governance at a time efforts were being made to reduce it.
He said there was no need for the bill as ano internal mechanism had already been worked out from which former presidents and former Heads of State have been benefiting.
Senator Gyang Pwajok described the bill as ill-timed, noting that salaries and pensions of former rulers should not take the front burners at a time the country was facing numerous security challenges.
He said it was wrong for the Senate to be planning a secured future for those who have once occupied privileged positions when several Nigerians did not even have a secured tomorrow.
Senator Ita Enang, who argued from the point of constitution and law, said the 1999 Constitution (as amended) recognised former rulers, military or civilian, adding that the Senate cannot said the provisions of the constitution were null and void.
Senator Sadiq Yar’Adua, in opposing the bill, said, like the previous attempts, it would not see the light of the day, adding that deserving former rulers, especially military, should be honoured.
However, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri supported the bill as he said it was the most important attempt at geared towards strengthening democratic ethos, advance democracy and remove corruption.
Senator Solomon Ewuga also supported but said something must be done to take care of the presiding officers of the National Assembly to prevent a situation whereby a former President of the Senate would leave office in penury.
The suggestion by the presiding officer, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, that amendmets should be made to the bill at the second reading was rejected by his colleagues.
It was thus overwhelmingly rejected and killed by the lawmakers when it was subjected to a voice vote.
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