Kwara governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has announced that he intends to cut pensions for former governors and deputy governors in the state.

Mr. Abdulrazaq tweeted today, “In line with our campaign mantra and the yearnings of our people, next week I will be sending a bill to the State House of Assembly to revoke the law awarding pension packages to former governors and former deputy governors in Kwara State.”

Abdulrazaq believes that repealing the pension law would enable the state to allocate more funds for improving human capital and tackling youth unemployment. He said he “listened to voices of the majority of the citizens opposing the pension law for former governors and deputy governors.”

If the law is repealed, ex-governors such as former Senate president Bukola Saraki would no longer get a pension from the government.  

This week, Lagos governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also said he is preparing a bill that will nullify the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension) Law, which will cut entitlements for the state’s past governors and their deputies. He said his aim is to reduce the cost of governance.

Zamfara’s House of Assembly also repealed the state’s similar pension law last year after a former governor Abdul’aziz Hari complained that he had not received his N10 million monthly payment.