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All former military
heads of state and their deputies since independence in 1960 are to
enjoy monthly salaries and allowances, like their elected counterparts.

This was agreed by
members of the House of Representatives, who passed into law a bill
amending an Act on the remunerations of the former Presidents and heads
of state.

The bill is titled,
“A Bill for an Act to Provide Remuneration of former Presidents, Heads
of Federal Legislative Houses and Chief Justices of the Federation and
other Ancillary Matters, 2010.” It was recommitted to the Committee of
the Whole in order to enable the House debate the constitutional and
incidental matters pertaining to the bill.

The former military
leaders are Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida,
Abdulsalami Abubakar, all of who are still alive. Those dead are
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, Murtala Muhammed and Sani Abacha.

Others who are to
benefit from the salaries and allowances are former vice presidents;
former Senate Presidents and their deputies; former Speakers and their
deputies; and former Chief Justices of the Federation.

The allowances are
to be worked out by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal
Commission (RMAFC). The position of the representatives is, however,
opposed to that of the senators, who last March, while passing the
bill, excluded former heads of state who seized power through coups,
from enjoying the remunerations.

Senate says no

By this development, the two chambers will now set up a conference committee to harmonise their positions.

During the debate
on the executive bill, the chairman of the Committee on Rules and
Business, Ita Enang, argued that the constitution has already given the
former military leaders a role by making them members of the Council of
State. He said there was nothing wrong with allowing them the salaries
and allowances paid to the former leaders of executive, legislative and
judicial arms of government.

Also contributing,
Cyril Madubum (PDP, Anambra) supported the argument, saying Section 316
(2) of the constitution has, by implication, recognized the former
military rulers as once occupying the office of the head of state.

“Any person who
immediately before the date when this section comes into force holds
office by virtue of any other constitution or law in force, immediately
before the date when this section comes into force, shall be deemed to
be duly appointed to that office by virtue of this constitution or by
any authority by whom appointments to that office fall to be made in
pursuance of this constitution.”

In justifying the
removal of the former military leaders from the list of beneficiaries
last March, the senators had argued that including them would amount to
encouraging future coups.

The Senate
President, David Mark, a retired Brigadier General and governor under
the military regime of Ibrahim Babangida, had said during the debate
that it would discourage people from coming to power unconstitutionally.

“This is to
discourage other ways of getting into power through unconstitutional
means; the only way recognised by the constitution is through the
ballot box and not through the barrel of the gun,” he said.