Why I asked Gov. Abiodun to stop my pension —Sen. Daniel

Former governor of Ogun state and now Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Otunba Gbenga Daniel has revealed why he demanded his pension as a former governor be stopped.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Daniel said he asked the state government to stop his pensions, because he doesn’t want to be receiving double remuneration having returned to public service after 12 years.

He said, “I remember there was indeed a court judgement which SERAP got basically saying that people should not be entitled to double payment, especially if you now have another kind of public office. But even before then, naturally, a human being should not be entitled to double remuneration.

READ ALSO: Gbenga Daniel requests suspension of pension as ex-governor

“So, for me like I said earlier on, for about 12 years I was not in public service, now that I am back in public service let me just make sure that I tidy things up and somebody just pointed out to me and say why don’t I just remind the governor that I am not here and he should please stop the monthly pension that he was paying and hopefully when I am out of the Senate we check what the law says.”

Daniel, however said, if after his stay at the Senate, Senators have emoluments, he may continue with that or revert to the emoluments the Ogun State government was paying him as a former governor.

Recall that Daniel’s decision to suspend his pension has generated reactions from the public.

But, the former governor said the reactions clearly indicated that things that appear to be normal are becoming unusual in the country.

According to Daniel, the reactions show that people are not happy with public figures any longer as they are skeptical that the officials will not do the right thing.

The former governor said it is high time public officers started to lay good examples of a better society where the value system is the order of the day.