A former governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, has reacted to the recent passage of a bill by the Abia House of Assembly stopping the payment of pensions to former governors and their deputies in the state.
The bill
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the assembly passed the bill on Tuesday after its first and second reading, consideration at the committee of the whole and its third reading during the day’s plenary.
The bill, sponsored by Uchenna Okoro, the majority leader and member representing Arochukwu State Constituency, seeks to repeal the existing 2001 Law under which former governors and deputy governors in the state were paid some money as pension.
The Speaker of the House, Emmanuel Emeruwa, said the bill would be referred to as Abia State Governors and Deputy Governor’s (Repeal) Law 2024 once it is assented to by Governor Alex Otti of Abia State.
Ikpeazu reacts
Reacting, Mr Ikpeazu, who governed the state between 2015 and 2023, said he had neither requested nor received a pension from the state government as a former governor since he exited office on 29 May.
In a statement on Wednesday by his spokesperson, Onyebuchi Ememanka, the former governor explained that his response followed reports suggesting that he was among those benefiting from payment of pension in the state.
“Former Governor Ikpeazu has since moved on with his life and is currently engaged in other areas of interest to him and advises the Abia State Government and her various organs to face the business of governance and desist from engaging in needless media sensationalism,” the statement read in part.(Premium Times)
