Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has heeded to public outcry and declined assent to the bill seeking life pension for the state lawmakers as canvassed by the state House of Assembly.
The 24-member legislature dominated by 22 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members on April 24 hurriedly passed the proposed pension bill for current and past members.
The Bill proposed a monthly pension of N100,000 for members while the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be entitled to N500,000 and N200,000, respectively.
But the governor said that he had conveyed the decision to withold assent to the Bill in a letter to the Speaker òf the Bayelsa State House òf Assembly on Monday.
The governor said the bill was inconsistent with Section 124 of the Constitution òf the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
Dickson said that he was of the view that the State Assembly lacked the powers to expand the categories of public servants who should be entitled to pension.
The opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC), Civil Society groups and civil servants had condemned the lawmakers for passing the bill they described as self seeking.
(NAN)