Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Thursday denied receiving pension as a former governor of Rivers State.
Amaechi, who posted on his Twitter handle, @ChibuikeAmaechi, said he has never requested for or collected pension from Rivers State Government.
“I have never requested for or collected one kobo as pension from R/State Govt.
“If offered, I will politely decline and request that the money should be given to Rivers State pensioners.
“I do not believe that I should receive pension as ex-gov of R/State while serving as a minister,” he tweeted.
It would be recalled that a Federal High Court in Lagos had on Wednesday order the federal government to recover pensions and allowances paid to former and serving ministers and senators that are ex-governors.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had sued the federal government in 2017 over its “failure to stop former governors from receiving double pay and life pensions.”
“We’ve obtained a landmark judgment from the federal high court ordering @NigeriaGov to recover life pensions collected by Saraki, Akpabio, others & directing the AGF to challenge the legality of states’ pension laws permitting former governors to collect such pensions,” SERAP wrote on Twitter.