Ex-Ministers: We never begged Buhari for severance allowances

A former Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has said neither him nor some of his former colleagues asked for severance package from President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said since they joined the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan at a later date, they knew they would not benefit from severance allowance.
Shekarau made the clarification in a statement through his Special Adviser on Media, Sule Yau Sule.

The statement reads: “Malam, like his other counterparts in Jonathan’s cabinet did not request for severance package from this administration. Therefore , the question of their being refused does not arise.

“For the avoidance of doubt and to set the records straight, the ministers who joined the Jonathan administration at a later date were aware they were not entitled to severance package since they did not meet the two-year benchmark.

“They were aware of the extant laws on compensation as they affect public office holders and did not request to be paid what they were not entitled to, either while in office or after they left.

“Therefore, the claim that the former ministers may forfeit their severance pay is both inaccurate and presumptuous.

“It must be reiterated here that the primary motivation for Malam in accepting appointment into the Federal Executive Council was to serve this country for which he remains grateful and harbours no regrets.”