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The Kebbi state government has cited constitutional provisions as reasons which disqualified former civilian governor, Abubakar Musa, from enjoying entitlements after leaving office.
The government was reacting to the allegations of the former governor that his entitlements had either been withheld or never paid since he left office.
At a press briefing in Birnin Kebbi Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Yakubu Ahmed Birnin Kebbi, explained that Abubakar Musa served as governor from January 1992 – November 1993, a total of 22 months.
“This period falls short of the two-year minimum tenure that the relevant legal framework requires for a former governor to qualify for the payment of pension and gratuity.
“In February 2010, the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, wrote to the then governor and the Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, directing the payment of pension and gratuity to state governors and their deputies in accordance with sections 84(5) and 124(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”,
“The Commission’s direrctive, grounded in those constitutional provisions, specifically limited the application of pension and gratuity to the immediate past governor and deputy who served from 1999 to 2003; it clearly excluded governors who held office between1991 and 1993.”
The 1999 Constitution which first made detailed provision for the pension and gratuity of former governors, does not extend those benefits retroactively to governors who served before its commencement”,
“Successive administrations in Kebbi state long before the incumbent administration, relied on these constitutional provisions to exclude Abubakar Musa from the payment of formal severance gratuity, pension and related entitlements”, the Commissioner explained.
Yakubu added that despite these clear legal restrictions, Governor Nasir Idris has repeatedly demonstrated compassion and magnanimity toward the former governor in recognition of his contribution to the development of Kebbi and as an elder statesman.
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