Encomium
…loses N64.3 million pension in 13 years
The former Deputy Governor of Lagos state, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, has denied ever being impeached by Lagos State House of Assembly as the deputy governor of Lagos state.
She told ENCOMIUM Weekly in an exclusive interview that she resigned her appointment and more…
Ma, we want to know if it is true you were impeached by the Lagos House of Assembly as the deputy governor?
No, I was never impeached. I resigned my appointment. My letter of resignation was dated Monday, December 16, 2002.
But the PDP Publicity Secretary in Lagos State, Taofiki Gani said you were impeached and should have been pardoned alongside Otunba Femi Pedro?
These are ignorant people. Where were they in 2002? He was probably still in school.
Why then has Lagos state government not paid your pension benefits if you resigned your appointment?
I do not want to dwell on that because the matter is in court and Lagos state has decided to settle.
To settle out of court?
Yes!
What exactly did you take Lagos state government to court for?
Please, I cannot discuss it, it’s in court.
ENCOMIUM Weekly also called Senator Olorunnimbe Adeleke Mamora, who was the Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly in 2002 and he corroborated Senator Bucknor-Akerele’s statement that she was never impeached.
Senator Mamora told ENCOMIUM Wekek that the impeachment proceeding against Senator Bucknor-Akerele was actually on when she sent in her resignation letter and the impeachment was aborted.
The impeachment or not of Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele became an issue recently when the Publicity Secretary of PDP in Lagos state, Taofiki Gani, criticized the reversal of Otunba Femi Pedro’s impeachment by Lagos House of Assembly.
The PDP spokesman said, “The reversal of Pedor’s impeachment is an embarrassment to the change mantra of the APC. It is a reward for Pedro’s return to the APC. That is how the APC operates. The moment you are in their camp, even if you commit an offence, they will look the other way. If you are not in their camp, they will make a series of allegations against you.
“They impeached Pedro because he went to the Labour Party. Now that he is in the APC, he is a saint. Even if notorious armed robber, Lawrence Anini, was in the APC today, he would be called a saint. How could Pedro’s impeachment be reversed but Bucknor-Akerele, who fought for democracy is ignored?”
But Hon. S.O.B Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of Lagos House of Assembly, who also doubles as the chairman of the ad hoc committee that recommended Femi Pedro’s impeachment reversal, said in response to Taofiki Gani’s comment.
“Gani, as a lawyer should know that no arbiter will take up a matter that is not before it. Pedro came with a letter and we attended to him. He should talk with facts and figures, not just talking because you are playing to the gallery. Did Bucknor ever approach us? We only acted on what we saw.”
What Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele has been missing?
Although the former deputy governor, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, has refused to disclose why she took Lagos state government to court over the payment of her pension benefits, ENCOMIUM Weekly, through investigators found out the reason.
We discovered that the former deputy governor to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a suit no ID/7559/11 filed in December 7, 2011, at the High Court of Lagos state, in the Ikeja Judicial Division Holden at Ikeja, is asking the Lagos state government to pay her pension allowances and fringe benefits due to her, since December 16, 2002, when she resigned as deputy governor of the state.
Her demand, according to her, is in accordance with the Public Officer (Payment of Pension) Law 2007 of Lagos state No 37, Vol. 40, Law No. 11.
She told the court that though the Lagos state government started paying her pension in November 2010, after much pestering by her, the state refused to pay her allowance and fringe benefits.
She said the other allowances and fringe benefits she is asking for are listed on schedules B and C of the Pension Law.
In essence, the Lagos state government has only paid her the annual basic salary of a retired deputy governor since November. Which mean since November 2010, she has been collecting N2,112,215.
What she has not been collecting includes:
Accommodation: One residential house of any location of her choice in Lagos.
Furniture: Furniture allowance is 30 percent of the annual basic salary, that is N6,336,645 to be paid en bloc every two years.
For 13 years, that is N38,019,870.
Transportation: Two cars (usually jeep) and in addition a pilot and a backup car to be replaced every three years
House maintenance allowance: Is 10 percent of annual basic. That is N221,211.50. For 13 years, that is N2,875,749.50k
Personal assistant allowance is N528.053. 75 percent per annum. That is 25 percent of annual basic salary. For 13 years, that is N6,864,698.75.
Car maintenance allowance is 30 percent of the annual basic salary which is N533,664.50. For 13 years, that s N8,237,638.50k
Entertainment allowance is 10 percent of annual basic salary which is N211,211.50k. For 13 years, that is N2,875,749.50k.
Utility allowance is 20 percent which is N422,443. For 13 years, N5,491,759.
Table of what she missed for 13 years
- Furniture 38,019,870.00
- House maintenance 2,875,749.50
- Personal Assistant 6,864,698.75
- Car maintenance 8,237,638.50
- Entertainment 2,875,749.50
- Utility allowance 5,491,759.00
64,365,465.30
-TOLANI ABATTI
