Last Thursday, the Senate considered one of the most contentious bills of this tenure, the bill seeking approval for remunerations for past leaders.

Attempts to debate the matter in the past had left the chamber polarised, as some lawmakers found it difficult to sever the chord of their friendship with notable past military leaders.

The arguement has been whether or not the Senate, an institution set up by the constitution , will give recognition to those who set aside the same constitution and seized power.

There had been one form of retirement benefits or the other for former office holders at the federal level which also applied to state governors who completed their tenure of office.

But the contention in the National Assembly, which had made attempts to streamline the remuneration package,  had been whether it would not amount to endorsing illegality, if constitutional means were used to legitimise an unconstitutional takeover of government.

While some lawmakers  had argued that although the fact that some military leaders had ruled the country could not be wished away, others  insisted that an institution set up by the constitution should not be seen approving retirement benefits for those who took over the government unconstitutionally and in the process set aside the constitution of the land.

They equally argued that such measures would serve as deterrents to others who might want to contemplate unconstitutional takeover of government in the future.

While things ended in a stalemate in the past, the debate on Tuesday took a different dimension. The lawmakers apparently saw themselves as statesmen, who had every cause to preserve and protect Nigeria’s democracy.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment and National Planning, Senator Zainab Kure, who led the debate on the bill entitled “Remuneration for former Presidents, Heads of State, Heads of Federal Legislative Houses and Chief Justices of the Federation and Ancillary Matters Bill” said that the essence of the new law was to ensure that only democratically-elected leaders were adequately catered for  after their tenure of office.

She said: “The thrust of the Bill is essentially to amend Decree 32 of 1999 and ensure that only democratically elected former Presidents are entitled in the schedule to the bill.”

The bill indicates that former presidents, vice-presidents, Senate presidents, Deputy senate presidents, Speakers and deputy speakers of the House of Representatives and chief justices of the federation shall benefit from the retirement benefits equivalent to the annual salary of the current holders of the office, among other benefits.

The bill states that:  “The members of the families of deceased former presidents and vice presidents shall be entitled to annual payments as shall be recommended by the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and approved by the National Assembly.” 

The debate on the bill did not show the usual divergence. Senators spoke in unison on the need to shut out leaders, who assumed office through the barrel of the gun from the largesse.

Those shut out by the bill include former military heads of  state, General Yakubu Gowon, General  Muhammadu Buhari, General  Ibrahim Babangida the family of the late Head of state, General Sani Abacha  and General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, while  contributing to the debate said that its passage would automatically shut out all former military Heads of State who usurped political power through the barrel of the gun and those who truncated democratic rules.

He said: “Another important feature of this bill is that persons who were removed from any of the offices referred to in this Act though the process of impeachment or were compelled to relinquish such offices for breach of any of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution are also not the contemplation of this bill.”

The Senate leader further said that the bill is “aimed at promoting democracy, making military coups unattractive, encouraging dedicated leadership and providing stability in the polity to discourage impeachments.”

Senate president, Senator David Mark, who presided over the sitting, did not hold back in giving support for the bill.