Governor's Pension: I Never Collected Pension From Rivers - Amechi

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi on Thursday denied receiving pension as the former governor of Rivers state.

“I have never requested for or collected one kobo as pension from R/State Govt.

“If offered, I will politely decline & request that the money should be given to Rivers State pensioners,” Amaechi posted on Twitter on Thursday.

“I do not believe that I should receive pension as ex-gov of R/State while serving as a minister,” he stated.

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday ordered 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) 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.

SERAP named Amaechi amongst other former governors affected. Others are Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano); Kabiru Gaya (Kano); Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Theodore Orji (Abia); Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa); Sam Egwu (Ebonyi); Shaaba Lafiagi (Kwara); Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Jonah Jang (Plateau); Ahmed Sani Yerima (Zamfara); Danjuma Goje (Gombe); Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe); Adamu Aliero (Kebbi); George Akume (Benue).