Thursday, 12 June 2014

How President Jonathan Forced Akpabio Back Down On Scandalous Pension Law

President Goodluck Jonathan is reportedly the one who forced Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State to back down on his controversial pension law.



Gov. Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State

According to PREMIUM TIMES report, a presidency source who pleaded anonymity because he is not permitted to speak on the matter, said Jonathan was angry over Akpabio's outrageous pension law which came at a time the country was facing security challenges especially the issue of the missing Chibok girls and Boko Haram insurgency which the government is fighting hard to curtail.

The source said President Jonathan was embarrassed as Akpabio's pension law had further dented not only the image of his political party, PDP but also that of Nigeria.

Jonathan was said to have summoned Gov. Akpabio to Aso Villa where he asked him to go back and reverse the law.

"It was shocking to know that the governor went ahead to sign the bill into law when public outcry was at its height, thereby painting the party and its leaders as being insensitive to the feelings of Nigerians.

"That was why Mr. Akpabio was summoned to the Villa and asked to go back and reverse the law. He was particularly directed to issue a statement to reverse the law and that was what he did.

"No President dead or alive in Nigeria is entitled to such retirement perks. It was totally unacceptable and Mr. President didn't minced words about it," the source said.

Mr. Akpabio's plan to pocket a staggering N200 million, among other scandalous perks after leaving office in 2015 had been exposed recently.

Following the report, he had been strongly criticised by Nigerians from all walks of life.

On the heels of the criticisms, Akpabio had last week said he was requesting the state assembly to immediately review the law, with a view to expunging one of its obnoxious provisions, while indicating he would only expunge the provision of the law which provided for N100 million medical allowance for ex-governors.

While Mr. Akpabio has rescinded part of the obnoxious law, many Nigerians have questioned the integrity and proprietary of the campaigns earlier carried out by those who saw nothing wrong in the outrageous retirement perks.

Attempts to speak with the Special Adviser to the President on Media, Rueben Abati and the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Doyin Okukpe, failed as they would not pick calls to their mobile telephones.

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