A former governor of Zamfara State, Mr Abdulaziz Yari, has asked his successor, Mr Bello Matawalle, to pay his outstanding allowances and pension.

Yari, in a letter dated October 17, 2019, addressed to Matawalle, said he was entitled to N10m monthly as “upkeep allowance,” but that he had only been paid twice since he left office.

According to the former governor, the law, which provides for the entitlement of former governors, deputies, speakers and deputy speakers, was amended in March and should not be truncated.

The letter read in part, “I wish to humbly draw your attention to the provision of the law on the above subject matter which was amended and assented to on March 23, 2019.

 “The law provides, among other entitlements of the former governor, a monthly upkeep allowance of N10m only and a pension equivalent to the salary he was receiving while in office.

 “Accordingly, you may wish to be informed that since the expiration of my tenure on May 29, 2019, I was only paid the upkeep allowance twice, i.e. for the month of June and July, while my pension for the month of June has not been paid.”

The former governor added that the law provides that the pension and upkeep allowance “are not in the category of privileges that can be truncated without any justifiable reason, hence, the need to request you to kindly direct the settlement of the total backlog of the pension and upkeep as provided by the law.”

Yari’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr Ibrahim Dosara, said he was not aware of the letter.

Dosara said the only person who could speak on the issue was Yari’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Sa,adu, whose phone numbers were switched off.

Efforts were also made to talk to All Progressives Congress Chairman in the state, Mr Lawal Liman, but he phone rang out.

Punch