There should be pay increase for ex presidents and vice presidents—Pastor Osibanjo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday, advocated an increase in the monthly retirement benefits of former presidents and vice presidents.
Osibanjo is a senior pastor of Redeemed Christian Church and a professor of law.
He made the call during his remarks at the valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday.
Osinbajo, who spoke last after ministers took two-minute turns to talk, said to the President, “Your personal integrity is one that is known all over Nigeria and indeed all over the world. And I do not think anyone, including even your worst enemies, will not admit that you are an incredibly honest person.
“Part of the problem with that is that sometimes, you and I end up getting the very short end of the stick. If you look at the laws today, our retirement benefits, yours (Buhari) will be N350,000 a month by law and mine will be N250,000 per month. Those, of course, as you can imagine are very tiny amounts of money.
“And I think that one of the things that we must do is to, perhaps, see how we can amend that law so that I will not come to you in Daura and ask for some of your bulls to sell in order to survive.”
Findings by Sunday PUNCH showed that severance packages for the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, state governors and other political appointees leaving office in 2023 might cost the country about N63.45bn.
As stipulated by the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission, the President will get a severance pay of N10.54m, which is 300 per cent of his annual basic salary, while Vice-President Osinbajo will receive N9.09m.
The eight special advisers in the Presidency are expected to get N5.83m each, totalling N46.64m.
