MURIC seeks abolition of payment to ex-govs, others

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called for the outright abolition of any form of payment for former state governors and other political office holders in the country.

The MURIC Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, said on Friday in a statement that the action of the Zamfara State House of Assembly recently passed bill halting payment of pensions and other allowances to all former governors, deputies, speakers and deputy speakers in the state is a welcome development.

According to him, though the MURIC supports the move, it also cautioned the Zamfara lawmakers against aiming to score cheap political points from the action.

“Zamfara lawmakers have taken a bold step towards stopping profligacy in governance. But their intention must be pure. This particular action should not be motivated by vendetta. Don’t forget that there was a change of baton in the state. We have a completely new set of lawmakers and chief executive. We therefore hope someone is not trying to score a cheap political point.

“But the move is a good one nonetheless and we call on lawmakers in other states to emulate Zamfara lawmakers. In particular, we charge members of the National Assembly (NASS) to lead this action.

“There are several past governors in Senate who are earning mouth-watering allowances from the red chamber and still earning pension and allowances from their states as former governors. This is atrocious, selfish and greedy. How can Nigeria come out of its financial mess if our leaders continue to behave like this? Public office should be for those who are willing to serve, not for those aiming to be served. It is for those who are ready to make sacrifices, not for those who are eager to make the poor masses their sacrificial lambs,” Akintola said.

He urged past and present public office holders to emulate President Muhammadu Buhari, who despite being a former governor of the whole Northern Region, a former head of state, former chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), has no foreign bank account, no houses outside Nigeria, no private jet, no yatch and has not amass wealth among others.