http://www.compassnews.net/news/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19907:fashola-tells-jakande-others-to-go-to-court&catid=48:saturdaynews&Itemid=189





IT is a daring response from the Babatunde Raji Fashola administration to his predecessors and their deputies, except the immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Bola, Tinubu. The administration has told the former chief executives of the state and their deputies, who have not been receiving the jumbo pension and retirement benefits approved by the Tinubu ad-irunistration in its twilight days, that the largesse is not for them.

In effect, the mouth-watering package, which was passed and signed into law by the Lagos State government is meant for Tinubu and anybody after his tenure.

That was the summary of a letter written to a former Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo, by the Lagos State government. Jafojo was the deputy to first civilian Governor of the state, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande.

The Nigerian Compass on Saturday had last week exclusively reported that Jakande, whose record of performance in the state is yet to be matched by succeeding governments 30 years after, was not being paid the jumbo package by the state government.

In an interview with the newspaper, Jakande had also stated unequivocally, that he would not even accept the jumbo pay if offered because, according to him, it is " excessive and obscene."

Under the law, a former Gov ernor and Deputy Governor of the state will receive equal pays with the incumbent holders of the office. The former Governor will be entitled to a house each in Lagos and Abuja, at a location of his choice, and will have six official vehicles and a retinue of domestic aides.

In another interview with this paper on Wednesday this week, Alhaji Jakande restated his belief that the pay package, is wasteful and a drain on the state's purse.

After enquiring if any such law exists anywhere else in the world, he lapsed into Yoruba language, saying: "Ki lawon Omo wonyi fe so aye dabayi?"meaning: "What are these children turning the world into?" Alhaji Jakande queried further: "How can an ex-Governor be on the same salary with the incumbent?"

He had said last week: "I have not benefited from this bill. I am not interested in it. My own attitude is that God has given me what I consider to be a good pension. That pension, to me, is the appreciation of my service to Nigerians, even non-Nigerians.

"My view on the bill is that it a waste of public funds. The appreciations I received daily from people are enough for me as my pension. This I will cherish till I die."

But in what appeared to be a massive protest, the story provoked other former chief executives and the deputies who lamented that they had not been receiving any pension from the state government.

Those who spoke with the Nigerian Compass on Saturday included Jafojo and Tinubu's former Deputy, Mrs. Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele. Their single refrain was that they were being denied their pension by the state government. Third Republic Governor of the state, Sir Michael Otedola, on Thursday evening confirmed to this newspaper that he had not been given any entitlement. It was not confirmed if his then deputy, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, was being paid or not.

Alhaji Jafojo and Bucknor-Akerele have separately written to the state government at different times, pleading that their entitlements be paid them.

While the series of letters by Bucknor-Akerele -- some dating back to September4, 2007 have not been given the dignity of a reply, the one by elder statesman Jafojo, of May 20, 2008, to Governor Fashola , provoked an angry response from the state government.

The government, in a letter dated September 12, 2008, bluntly told Jafojo that he was not entitled to the pension scheme as enacted in Law No 11 of 2007.

The letter, entitled: "Re: Application on Pensions, and other fringe benefits to public office holders in Lagos State Law No 11 of 2007" was signed by one S.A Quadri on behalf of the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Supo Sasore ( SAN). The reference number of the letter is LDD.1545/102.

In the letter, the government, which acknowledged Jafojo's letter on the matter through his lawyer, Ayoola Jacob Esq, said that the 2007 law, as passed, could not operate retrospectively and, as such, was inapplicable to those who held the office before it.

The state government declared, flatly: "The provision of Subsection (5) of Section 124 of the 1999 Constitution is similar to the provisions of section 116 (5) of the 1979 Constitution which was the operating Constitution during the tenure of your client but no law of the state House of Assembly was enacted similar to Law 11 of 2007 and as envisaged by the said provisions of Section 116(5).

"The provisions of Section 116(5) of the 1979 Constitution is (sic) a mere Constitutional provision that cannot come into operation until there is a law of the House of Assembly passed to that effect. And moreso, there abound several decisions of our courts, frowning at laws operating retrospectively"

The state government then added the clincher: "The threat to seek legal redress for the determination and or interpretation of the enabling Constitutional provisions is a welcome development and a Constitutional right which your client possessed."

Jafojo's lawyer had drawn the ire of the state government when he wrote in the May, 20, 2008 letter that his client was entitled to all his gratuities as provided for in the newly enacted Law2007.

He further said that he believed that the Lagos State government would not shy away from its welfare responsibility to his client.

The lawyer had written: "In view of the above, please be informed that it is our instruction to demand from the Lagos State Government and if need be through a legal process the payment of pensions and other fringe benefits accruing to our client for having served the Lagos State as Deputy Governor. However, we have refrained for now from taking any step that may portray Lagos State in a bad light. We have also advised our client — Chief Rafiu Jafojo - not to embark on any measure in respect of the above-captioned that may give adverse publicity to the good reputations of this current administration, with the hope that this goodwill of ours would be possibly reciprocated by the state government."

What Jafojo got amounted to tongue-lashing.

Yet, he was lucky. Bucknor-Akerele has fared worse. Since resigning her post in 2002 after a turbulent relationship with Tinubu, Bucknor-Akerele has written over five letters to both Tinubu and Fashola asking for her entitlements. Mum has been the word from the state.

On September 4,2007, she had stretched her luck further by writing the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Aderenle Adeniran-Ogunsanya on herplight It was gathered that that was based on a frank discussion she had with the SSG on the matter, and was advised to write her.

Part of her letter read: "Since I resigned from office on December 16, 2002, I have made repeated requests both in writing and orally to which I have not received a reply. I am therefore appealing to you to use your good office to see that my entitlements are paid. I have served the nation and indeed Lagos State meritoriously and I believe that had I and others like me not risked our lives for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria, we would not be enjoying this fruit of democratic rule today"

To her chagrin and utter dismay, the SSG whose office acknowledged receipt of the letter refused to reply the letter to date.

Bucknor-Akerele was still wondering what went wrong uptill this week.

She told Nigerian Compass on Saturday that it appeared Adeniran-Ogunsanya was warned not to raise her issue again. "You know it is a Tinubu Government", she said.

Between October 6, and November 26, 2008, Bucknor-Akerele wrote two letters to Fashola on her entitlements. On October 6 for instance, she wrote to the governor telling him that according "to the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission provision, all former Governors and Deputy Governors, once they served a minimum of two and half years are entitled to certain benefits

"I understand that some of the privileges include a befitting residence, a motor vehicle and pension among others, all of which I have not received up to date"

She further said that she had written to Tinubu several times but the only reply she got was that the matter was being looked into. She asked Fashola to please intervene in the matter.

She wrote again on November 26, 2008 to inform Fashola that she had not received any response from the letter.

But according to her, mum has been the word from the Lagos State government.

Asked if she had been paid she replied: "I said nothing at all. I have not been paid anything by the Lagos State government. You know the content of that bill. You can list the things contained in it. Have you seen any of those things here? Have you seen any pilot cars or any back-up cars here? The cars you see in my compound are my own cars which I bought with my own money. I do not have any security at all. The house I am living in is my own house. This house got burnt in 2007; I rebuilt it without any contributions from the Lagos State government. So I have received nothing at all from them. When I came in here, you saw that I drove myself in without any escort. That is the way I have been moving."

She added: "I don't think it has anything to do with the problem I had with Tinubu. I also don't think that they are doing the right thing. But I thought that a government that passed the bill and signed it into law should be able to obey the law it passed. So I don't think it has to do with my problem with Tinubu because, certainly, Tinubu is one of those who talk about the rule of law. He should be able to obey it."

What kind of stupid pension is this a house in Lagos and Abuja, car driver, etc. The state government should not pay any past governor any thing, not even Tinubu. They all have stolen enough money for them to be receiving anything from the government.

I do believe if the bill was passed in 2007 it applies to Tinubu and any Governor after that not the past Governors. But I still believe the Pension is ridiculous an should be reviewed.

Doesn't suprise me Tinubu put this in place.

How much does Lagos pay to its teachers, charity org, the displaced traders in oshodi and others? rubbish

@ poster
Under the law, a former Governor and Deputy Governor of the state will receive equal pays with the incumbent holders of the office. The former Governor will be entitled to a house each in Lagos and Abuja, at a location of his choice, and will have six official vehicles and a retinue of domestic aides.

Hey, dam too much, at whose expense? Part of resources to keep the state running?
God help us in Naija.

Fashola has to be asked plainly if there are any moves or intentions of revisiting this issue because this is just simply obscene. I have no problem with pensions, but what is attainable in this case really is ridiculous and needs to be revisited. The current Lagos government has been showing with actions so far that it is commited to infrastructural and economic development, perhaps this might be a genuine test of the resolve the Lagos state government has with regards to corruption and government largesse and stifling bureaucracacy. I can't even believe such a law was passed through the legislature if it actually was.

Soon,it will be former LG chairmen and councellors, hmmm even deceased traditional rulers.Masses you are on your own! A word is enuf 4 d ,

Rich Dad:

Soon,it will be former LG chairmen and councellors, hmmm even deceased traditional rulers.Masses you are on your own! A word is enuf 4 d ,   

Pardon me but I have never understood what seems to have become a culture in nairaland of always putting the onus on the so called "masses" to act or blaming the "masses" for their innaction or whatever. Please who are these "masses"? Are you somehow excluded from the so called masses? It seems like a culture that has become the latest fad people use to disocciate thamselves with the uncomfortable prospect of putting the onus partly on themselves because it might mean god forbid they actually have to do something. Soing something ofcourse as opposed to simply reverting to throwing around pronouns like "we" and using such an inclusive pronoun in the such a way that it ironically excludes the poster from action or responsibility. Like "we" is some distant group of people. LOL. Nigeria

The cars you see in my compound are my own cars which I bought with my own money.

So why you need another car.

Because we are not in their shoes. They don't want to be completely denied of all they have enjoying when in power; free Ghana must go's of money (local and hard); free diesel, etc. At least with the money, they can be once again be regarded personally by their family and neighbours as non acting governor,

royalicon:

@ poster
Under the law, a former Governor and Deputy Governor of the state will receive equal pays with the incumbent holders of the office. The former Governor will be entitled to a house each in Lagos and Abuja, at a location of his choice, and will have six official vehicles and a retinue of domestic aides.

quite a waste even for an ex governor

@sky blue,
I guess you dont understand what i mean or perhaps out of contex.anyway,FYI i'm not excluding myself i was only tryn to let the average Nigerians realize that no one is going to play the 'MESSIAH' role except WE act very fast.imagine how children are on the street hawking 4 survival.ARISE O' COMPATRIOTS!!!

Fashola is not what we think he is, He is only A Tinubu-SAN in action.

Until I saw him go against these kind of IDIOCRAZY put in place by Tinubu I'll still regard him as the Tinubu-SAN (BOY) in action.

Lawyers on Nairaland, its time you help us (Tax Payers) institute action against Lagos State Govt for unjudicious use of our Tax paid

too bad if this is true

This is to tell us that there is so much money in this country yet people are suffering and smiling, while some are just getting more and more, God help us

i expect nairalanders to be more vociferous in their criticsm of this apparently corrupt policy of lagos state government under fashola's watch. if it were a PDP Governor, we would have seen upto 7 pages of inventives and abuses. lets be objective.

I think the pension and gratuity should be in line with what is obtainable in the civil service of the state. It is absurd for an ex-governor to have the same entitlement as the incumbent.
The provisions should duly be revoked. This is the kind of issues that the opposition need to push for.

As to retro activeness, I feel all past elected governors should be entitled to the same benefits. They held similar office and thus should be entitled to same benefits and pension. The only way to argue against retro- activeness is to exclude the incumbent when the law was passed. Incumbent goes with the past, and not the future.

There is nothing wrong with rewarding our past leaders, when the opportunities come alive. Thus, the purported pension’s packages are too cumbersome for the executives at the expense of tax-payers. In a society, where majority lives below 80 per cent poverty line, I think such exercise would be preposterous. If that could have been one house just in Lagos, and two cars with just one security guide, I guess would not even raise eyebrows like this.


I need to take a strife at Deputy Governor Bucknor. At age 70, you still seem to be greedy, the same altitude that made you back-sit from the front-sit. I may put it straight with you; they don’t spend money in heaven though. God of nowadays doesn’t take long to wrath, that’s what happened when you woke up and the house at Ikeja that you took kickbacks money to build was razed by conflagration. Remember, evil that men do will live long after them. Then, she said Fashola did not do anything order than planting trees for beautification.”How would you know since all you want , is status quo.?” Leave Fashola alone oooo MAMA 70’s; we support that man ja re ooooo.


Another whip at whinny Michael Otedola, you are a disappointment to our society especially Yoruba group. Ha ha, ha ba! If not for greediness, you could never be gone broke in your life anymore. Why still crying over spilt milk? If you really care about people, how many foundations you setup for the needy from the money you stole. The only achievement is making your son achieve the second Nigerian to be on forbes richest billionaires. I think if anyone from past leaders needs help from government you definitely not one of them.



Let me shower encomium on Pa Jakande: I have known him to be a man of timbre and caliber, with unbiased competence and perpendicular integrity. Pa J’s achievement is still second to known in Lagos. This is an elder statesman that dedicated his life to the course of the poor, with a generously uncanny mindset. He lives in Ilupeju estate, where he has been living before he became governor and still lives there up to date. I remember, he came to a slum part of Shomolu, Lagos; just to campaign for a councilor to be. He never got scared, he works freely for his good deeds; unlike those fools who steal money and buy houses in Ikoyi and got scared just to visit their common constituency or will never allow poor persons to handshake them.

Goof!!!

I will advise fellow members to disregard The Compass news about Lagos State.
Did you read from The Nation this morning where Segun Adeniyi denied that the Presidency has requested for Tinubu's file from the EFCC? This news was published by The Compass.
It's a link by Gbenga Daniel & his cohorts to paint the state black.

royalicon:

@ poster
Under the law, a former Governor and Deputy Governor of the state will receive equal pays with the incumbent holders of the office. The former Governor will be entitled to a house each in Lagos and Abuja, at a location of his choice, and will have six official vehicles and a retinue of domestic aides.

Does it means in the next 20 dispensations Lagos state will be paying for 20 govs. and deputies with six vehicles and houses in Lagos and Abuja each ? This is absolute madness.

it is ridiculous how much is the federal allocation to lagos state,yet the governor is lamenting that the state allocation is barely enough for capital projects.

This a gross mismanagement of our hard earned resources. If government is compelling individuals to be pay taxes and these resources are not well utilized, like this instance. I strongly doubt it if anybody would be motivated to pay taxes.

it is the responsibility of every govt federal and state to pay pension and provide security to former leader. if payment of pension to past leader (civil servant included) become stable and accepted as a pratice in Nigeria, the would be less case of old person depending of the young one for survival.

while i do not support the clues on Lagos state on the penion bill that said house should be built in Abuja and Lagos, i believe regular payment of pension (reasonable sum) to past leader world will go a long way in taking care of them and reduce corruption while in power.

if this is true, then soon Lagos will own practically all the houses in Lagos and Abuja to meet the pension needs of its ex governors and their deputies,
honestly this is sheer madness and Gov Fashola and the state assembly should look into it immediately,

A ex governor of lagos to have a house in Abuja, i wonder what for?
6 rides, what for?
Aides, i can understand that, for security.
Same salary as incoming governor, na wa oh.

Alas the MYTH called "[b]B[/b]righter [b]R[/b]ewarding [b]F[/b]uture"?
Its becoming constantly evident that politicians are always going to be the same.
As Tinunbu put a never drying Money well "Oando / Gaslink" on ground before leaving,
He added another in BRF , which is being solidified by the recent Pay me what you pay your self bill,
How different is he from Adedibu, Do we realy believe that the AC and PDP are different?

PDP is only an easy target due to its size, the truth is that all the partiesa are the same.
Infrastructure is dead in all states INCLUDING LAGOS!

BRT you may ask? For a state with as much Population and Internaly generated revenue, it is sad to use
1. Grass and flower
2. One route (Ikorodu - CMS) bus system
3. Oshodi clearing

To justify a GOOD JOB on his part!

Lagos earns internally more that many west african countries but the difference is clear still. Have you seen some of the schools in Lagos, students on the floor in class, 3 classes in one room 3 schools occupying facilities for one.
The praise singers are just jokers , i pray our eyes are open to the truth, THE WHOLE TRUTH

theforce:

Alas the MYTH called "[b]B[/b]righter [b]R[/b]ewarding [b]F[/b]uture"?
Its becoming constantly evident that politicians are always going to be the same.
As Tinunbu put a never drying Money well "Oando / Gaslink" on ground before leaving,
He added another in BRF , which is being solidified by the recent Pay me what you pay your self bill,
How different is he from Adedibu, Do we realy believe that the AC and PDP are different?

PDP is only an easy target due to its size, the truth is that all the partiesa are the same.
Infrastructure is dead in all states INCLUDING LAGOS!

BRT you may ask? For a state with as much Population and Internaly generated revenue, it is sad to use
1. Grass and flower
2. One route (Ikorodu - CMS) bus system
3. Oshodi clearing

To justify a GOOD JOB on his part!

Lagos earns internally more that many west african countries but the difference is clear still. Have you seen some of the schools in Lagos, students on the floor in class, 3 classes in one room 3 schools occupying facilities for one.
The praise singers are just jokers , i pray our eyes are open to the truth, THE WHOLE TRUTH

Can't we for once ever be objective? Are what you listed all that has been done during the current administration? Why not judge each administration on its own merit? Why on earth do you expect lagos to look like dubai in just two years of this administration? Is there solid progress being made with regards to projects (Micro Finance initiative, Lekki Free trade zone, greater efficiency in tax collection, urban renewal in a lot of areas, Eko atlantic, instigation of e payment, CCTV initiative, improvement of business environment for investors which can be seen in the long list of projects, etc)? So why do you then go out of your way to paint a vague and incomplete picture? Does that mean there are no questions to answer in this incidence? By all means no, so again I ask, why can't we be objective for once?