Fayemi Fires Back At SERAP, ‘I Never Received A Kobo As Pension’

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has reacted to claims by the Social-Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP), that he has been enjoying governors’ emoluments while also drawing normal salaries and allowances from his new political office.

SERAP had made the allegation in a letter it addressed to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to recover the over N40 billion alleged double pay to former governors who are still serving in public offices.

Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State was among serving public officials who was listed by the group to be drawing pensions and other allowances as retirees.

But in a reaction, Fayemi threatened to sue SERAP if it does not make public details or proof of pension and any other remuneration he was alleged to be enjoying from Ekiti government since leaving office as governor of the state in 2014, or publicly apologise to him.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, Fayemi said he had not received “a kobo either as pension (as passed by the State House of Assembly) or as severance package (approved by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission) from the state government since leaving office on October 15, 2014.

“Contrary to SERAP’s statement, the fact is that Dr Fayemi does not enjoy any pension from Ekiti State government neither has he received any severance package as approved by RMFAC.

“All SERAP needed to have done in this case was to place a call to the Minister or carry out a thorough investigation at the Ekiti State Ministry of Finance, before going public on such a sensitive matter.

“The leadership of SERAP is urged to do the needful- substantiate the allegation with proof or retract the highly embarrassing statement and offer a public apology to the Minister within seven days or be prepared to defend it in the law court”, the statement said.