*Exposes Others in the National Assembly.
Conscience, it's believed, is an open wound, only time, they say, can heal it. So it appears with the recent action of the former governor of Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Daniel who denounced the collection of his monthly pension payment from his state. In a widely circulated letter addressed to the governor of his State, Ogun, Dapo Abiodun, Sen. Daniel admitted that some of his actions since he left office in 2011 have been a rip- off , saying, "his conscience is not in agreement with collecting double emoluments, as ex governor and now a serving senator.
Senator Daniel bold pronouncement has actually exposed so many of his colleagues in the National Assembly who are partners and guilty of the same sin with him. However the challenge remains if they share the same conscience and moral ethics as Sen. Daniel.
This is because Senator Gbenga Daniel's action should now prick the depth of the conscience of other ex governors in the national Assembly who are still collecting double emoluments both in their states and national Assembly.
According to him in the letter, he described his actions in that regard as immoral and unethical as he says, "I write to request for the suspension of my monthly pensions/allowance of N676, 376,95 being paid as a former governor of the state". He went further to state that this request "is in compliance with my conscience, moral principles and ethical code against double emoluments as a serving Senator of the federal Republic who hitherto was a governor of a state and should not be collecting pensions and allowances from the state".
As if professing righteousness, he further stated that apart from his pension and allowance, he has not been benefitting from other sins like welfare packages. According to him, "since I left office in 2011, I have not been benefitting from any welfare package be it medical, furniture or transportation".
Though Sen. Daniel decision may actually not be considered novel, Babatunde Fashola, a former governor of Lagos state, while serving as a minister under President Buhari, was alleged to have made similar claims, denouncing his pension. Kayode Fayemi, former governor of Ekiti State and Senator Olu Saraki, ex governor of Kwara state, were all said to have announced such positions respectively at one point or the other.
But speaking on Arise TV morning show, July 7, Reuben Abatti, a journalist, reported that denouncing one's double emoluments should not be seen as a major achievement for any politician.
According to him, the Zamfara State House of Assembly had in 2019 passed a resolution banning the payment of pension to ex politicians who occupied political offices like former governors etc. Abatti reminded too that there is even a subsisting judgement passed by Justice Orulemi Oguntoyibo in same 2019, declaring the collection of double emoluments illegal. Despite this judgement not vacated till date, Abatti lamented, there are still a number of ex governors collecting double emoluments as senators while some of their states are still owing staff salaries.
Opinions are however suggesting that Sen. Gbenga Deniel should go further to refund the already collected pensions now that his conscience has reminded him of his sins.
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