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The All Progressives Congress(APC) governorship candidate in Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, on Thursday vowed that if elected governor, he would repeal the law granting jumbo pensions to former governors and deputies in the state.
Abdulrasak stated this at a campaign rally in Omu Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of the state. He said payment of pension to former political office holders was detrimental to the socioeconomic development of the state.
He said that his administration would also put an end to building of houses for past governors and their deputies if elected.
“We will put up a bill and send to the House of Assembly for immediate stoppage of pensions and building of houses for past governors and their deputies.
“In as much as the constitution has ensured adequate well being and remunerations for the governors and their deputies, such gesture is a rip off, selfish, wastage and undue application of scarce resources.
“We will not allow such ungodly exercise to continue while such money will be channeled and directed toward improvement of social services and other developmental projects.
“We need to change some terrible laws. We’ll repeal that obnoxious pension law when we get to office.
“It’s a privilege to become a governor of a state. It is dubious for anyone to become governor and then earn a pension more than the people who served the state for their entire lives,” he said.
He urged the people to vote for him and all the candidates of the party in the State House of Assembly elections on March 9.
“We need to bring jobs to our people. We need to address the security issues, instead of funding police, they arm thugs.
“We will help the police by offering assistance they need to secure our communities.
“We cannot take that any more, but we need enough lawmakers to push through the repeal of the offensive law,” Abdulrazaq said.
He also promised to grant full autonomy to the Local Government councils, adding that this would grow the local economy and halt the “unhealthy” migration of people to the cities.
“Most of the councils presently have been crippled financially and in a state of comatose, courtesy of those saddled with the responsibility of managing and safeguarding our state resources.
“The councils are vital arm of government that should not be starved of adequate funds at every point in time for the overall benefit of our people, especially at the grassroots.
“We will ensure that funds allocated to the councils are delivered without any interference in order to achieve the desired aims and objectives,” he said.