Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is desirous of harnessing the knowledge and experience of former legislators in his quest to reposition the country for better productivity.
Kalu said the President recognises former lawmakers as a reservoir of insights whose wealth of experience is valuable to the task of nation building and that their collective wisdom should be harnessed for Nigeria’s progress.
Speaking at the maiden meeting of the Nigerian Former Legislators Forum (NFLF) in Enugu, Kalu said there was the need for former legislators to adopt a robust framework that prioritizes pension security, holistic welfare, institutionalized expertise, and privileges for its members.
The meeting of the forum which is the brainchild of the Deputy Speaker had in attendance two former Senate Presidents, Ken Nnamani and Anyim Pius Anyim; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; former Deputy, Emeka Ihedioha; former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha and former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah.
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Kalu emphasised the need for a unified approach to secure their dignity and support each other beyond their tenure, while proposing a hybrid pension model combining contributory and non-contributory schemes to ensure sustainability and safeguard of the former lawmakers.
He also suggested the establishment of a Knowledge Bureau to document legislative best practices and launch study groups on critical issues: granting lifetime ID cards, healthcare insurance, and parking privileges to honor the service of the former lawmakers and creating an Executive Committee and Advisory Board to guide strategic partnerships and ensure continuity.
He said the NFLF aims to transcend partisan divides, champion pension reforms, and build a policy advocacy group to influence national policies.
He said the forum also seeks to strengthen democracy, project Nigeria’s voice, and harness the collective wisdom of its legislative heritage and should not live in isolation hence the need to integrate the former lawmakers through the body.
He said: “Here in Nigeria, our NFLF must rise to meet four imperatives. First, pension security. Unlike the U.S. or South Africa, we lack a unified framework. Let us adopt a hybrid model: contributory schemes for sustainability, paired with non-contributory safeguards for indigent retirees. Mirroring the U.S., we could allow partial pension computation for an immediate needs lifeline for those transitioning to private life.
“Beyond pension, the Forum must champion the holistic welfare of its members, supporting one another politically, socially, and economically. We must form a strong policy-pressure group and legislative-lobbying arm to advocate for our collective interests within the corridors of power.
“In doing so, we recognise that the nation has invested vast resources in training each legislator present here; allowing that investment to go to waste upon leaving office should be discouraged at all costs. This platform will reduce the pressures on those who lose elections by providing mentorship, networking opportunities, and pathways into new careers and public service roles.
“Third, institutionalizing expertise. Former legislators are reservoirs of insight, not relics. The NFLF must establish a Knowledge Bureau to document legislative best practices and launch Congressional Study Groups on critical issues like the economy, security, foreign policy, and trade.
“Let us partner with universities, as the U.S. does, deploying former members as ambassadors for civic literacy on campuses and in communities.
“Fourth, privileges and facilities. Inspired by the U.S., we should grant lifetime ID cards for National Assembly access, certain privileges for post-tenure transitions like healthcare insurance, and parking in legislative complexes. These courtesies, overseen by bipartisan committees, honour service while preventing abuse.”