SERAP seeks stoppage of pensions for ex-Abuja council chairmen, others

By Adebisi Onanuga

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a law suit against the continued payment of life pension to former Abuja council chiefs.

In the suit, filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, SERAP is asking the court to “declare the life pension edict/law 2019, passed by the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) null, void, illegal and unconstitutional”.

It prayed the court to “restrain and stop AMAC, its chairman, deputy chairman, speaker, legislature and/or their agents from paying life pensions to former officials, and ultimately, to themselves under the edict/law”.

SERAP is also seeking for “an order to direct and compel AMAC, its chairman, deputy chairman, speaker and (ex-members of the) legislature to recover all previous payments made under the AMAC Life Pension Edict/law, from those who have already collected pensions, and to return same to the coffers of the council so that the public funds can be spent to provide public goods and services for residents”.

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In the suit, filed last Friday, SERAP said: “The AMAC edict granting life pensions to ex-officials is a blatant usurpation of the constitutional powers of the National Assembly. Unless stopped, AMAC and its officials will spend millions and ultimately, billions of taxpayers’ money on life pensions, the council’s funds that should be spent to address the poor state of basic amenities and deficits in educational institutions, primary healthcare facilities, potable water, sanitation and infrastructural needs of the residents within the council’s area.”

The suit followed SERAP’s open letter, dated October 11, 2019, to AMAC Chairman Abdullahi Adamu Candido, urging him to “urgently withdraw and revoke the edict for the unconstitutional and illegal payment of life pensions to former chairmen, vice-chairmen, speakers and other officials of AMAC”.

SERAP added: “The court should exercise its inherent and statutory powers to defend the sanctity of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and hold that the AMAC Life Pension Edict is unconstitutional and stop any payment of pensions under the said edict.

“Unless the reliefs sought are granted, AMAC and its officials will continue to use the pension edict for personal gain, in breach of constitutional provisions and at the expense of the people and residents of council’s area. This is what the provisions of Section 1, Part 1, Fifth Schedule of the Constitution expressly forbids.”