Hours after Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma accented to a bill repealing a law on payment of pensions and gratuities to former Governors, former Deputy Governors and former Speakers of the State House of Assembly, none of those affected have officially reacted to the development.
Governor Uzodinma after signing the bill into law at the Sam Mbakwe Exco chamber, Government House, Owerri Friday, recalled that some former Governors of the State who benefited from the payments also earn huge salaries as Senator or as member of the House of Representatives.
Former Governor Rochas Okorocha currently represents Imo West Senatorial district at the Senate, while former Governor Emeka Ihedioha was one time Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He had represented Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency for 12 years.
Some associates of the former Governors when contacted for their reactions on the development declined comments, thus feuling speculations that they may have been consulted by Uzodinma before he repealed the law.
Majority Leader of Imo State House of Assembly, Hon.Uche Ogbuagu who sponsored the executive bill to repeal the law told newsmen in Owerri that Imo State loses about N1.3 billion naria per annum, to offset the cost of benefits of the former Governors, Deputy Governors and former Speakers of Imo State House of Assembly.
There was no Independent verification of his claims, but records obtained from National Bureau for Statistics, NBS indicates that some States in Nigeria who pay benefits to former Governors are neck deep into debt.
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