Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

Budget: Ex-Presidents, Former VPs, Others Receive N13.8bn Maintenance Allowance

The sum of N13,805,814,220 has been set aside by the Federal Government for the maintenance of former presidents, vice presidents, chiefs of state, Chiefs of General Staff, retired heads of service, permanent secretaries, and retired heads of government agencies and parastatals in the fiscal year 2024.

Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari are among those who will benefit, as well as ex-vice presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo, and Prof Yemi Osinbajo.

Ex-military heads of state, General Yakubu Gowon, General Abdusalami Abubakar, General Ibrahim Babangida, and a former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (retd.), are to gain from the windfall.

In addition, N1trn has been set aside for public service wage adjustments for government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (including arrears of promotion and salary increases, as well as payment of severance benefits and minimum wage-related adjustments).

The entitlements of past presidents/leaders of states and vice presidents/chiefs of general staff will cost N2.3 billion, while retired heads of service, permanent secretaries, and professors will cost N10.5 billion.

Severance payments to retiring heads of government agencies and parastatals are estimated to cost N1 billion.

Other fundings include N65 billion for the Presidential Amnesty Programme to reintegrate transformed ex-militants, N1 billion for the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Energy, and N108 billion for unspecified special projects.

The government is also proposing a sum of N40 billion to offset electricity arrears due by all MDAs to power distribution firms.

Former President, Jonathan Congratulates Governor Diri, Tells INEC To Improve Electoral System

Ex-president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has congratulated Gov Duoye Diri of Bayelsa state after he emerged winner of the November 11 governorship election.

Congratulating Diri in a statement made available on his official X handle, Jonathan, who once served as the Governor of Bayelsa state, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to work towards the improvement of the country’s electoral system.

In his congratulatory message, Jonathan held that Governor Diri’s victory was well deserved, adding that his victory demonstrated the people’s faith in his leadership.

“Congratulations to His Excellency @govdouyediri on his re-election as the Governor of Bayelsa State. Your victory at the poll is well-deserved, as it demonstrates the people’s faith in your leadership and reward for years of commitment to peace, prosperity, and progress of Bayelsa,” statement by the former president partly read.

“Your success confers on you more responsibilities, as the people have, through the ballot, entrusted you with hope and expectation for a better and prosperous future. I urge you to reciprocate this confidence reposed on you by the people through this mandate and work for the general good and progress of all Bayelsans, irrespective of political affiliation, senatorial district, clan or community,” it added.

Calling on the election umpire to take serious issues from the off-cycle election and work towards improving the country’s electoral process, Jonathan said;

“Finally, I call on the electoral umpire and other stakeholders to take seriously the issues of the off-cycle elections and work towards the improvement of the electoral system and sustainability of our nation’s democracy.”

Diri was declared winner of the kneely contested election. Unlike in Kogi and Imo where the winners won with a landslide margin, the margin between Diri and his main contender All Progressives Congress’ Timipre Sylva was slim as Diri polled a total of 175,196 votes to defeat Sylva who scored 110,108 votes.