The Lagos State House of Assembly has said that it will not repeal the state’s pension law permitting former governors and other public office holders to receive huge pensions from state coffers.
Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Mr. Tunde Braimoh, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that Lagos Assembly would not go the way of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, which recently repealed pension law for its former governors.
NAN had reported that a Federal High Court in Lagos had ordered the federal government to recover pensions collected by former governors now serving as ministers and members of the National Assembly.
The court also directed the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, to challenge the legality of states’ pension laws permitting former governors and other ex-public officials to receive huge pensions while drawing normal salaries and allowances in their new political offices.
Braimoh faulted the court ruling, noting that, as long as the law does not contravene the constitution, state assemblies have the right to make laws for the benefit of the society in which they operate.
According to him, separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution empowers the legislature to make laws, the executive to implement and the judiciary to interpret the laws.
“The Supreme Court had made it clear several times that no arm of government can repeal the constitutional provisions of another arm of government.
“Therefore, legislators make laws that are in tune with the yearnings and dynamics of their society.
“Until another legislature comes to alter, review or amend the law, the law is meant to be obeyed. “The judiciary cannot pronounce that a law by the state is unconstitutional unless such state law is contradictory to the Constitution,” the lawmaker said.
Braimoh said he was not aware of any law that restricts state assemblies from making laws for the provision of welfare package for former governors and public office holders.