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Buhari, Osinbajo, Others Criticized For Accepting Severance Package
President Buhari and other political office holders have faced severe criticism from activists for accepting the severance package.
The activists argue that the decision is insensitive given the current hardships faced by Nigerians.
Many believe that President Buhari’s tenure has contributed to a rise in poverty, adding to the frustration and hardship being faced by the people.
Furthermore, the incoming governors will have to tackle challenges such as unpaid salaries and pensions, along with growing debts, further exacerbating the situation.
In response to the situation, Mr. Kolawole Oluwadare, the Deputy Executive Director of Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), emphasized that any exorbitant amount allocated as a pension would be seen as a direct insult to the Nigerian people.
“The law is clear. For the President, he is entitled to pension by the provision of the constitution but the quantum of the pension, which is a severance package, is what will now be considered appropriate or not. In the face of Nigeria’s growing public debt and growing poverty in the land, any amount that is considered too much will be an affront to the good people of Nigeria”, Oluwadare said
Expressing her firm disapproval, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, the President of Women Arise for Change Initiative and the Campaign for Democracy, asserted that this unacceptable practice must cease.
“There are multiple viewpoints to this sick culture. First, there is the angle of those who were not voted into offices. For instance, appointees should not get a kobo. Second, of those voted into office, the President and Vice President should be protected and granted a level of comfort after office because they must have taken decisions that might expose them to danger in their post-office life.
“The cost should be debated before approval. It is so obscene that people who had retired and collected benefits are again retiring as public office holders and yet collecting jumbo packages for lacklustre performances in high office.
“In the meantime, regular people who didn’t steal, kill or destroy are dropping dead in pension queues. And the pension is miserable. Yet they worked for 35 years or till they hit retirement age. But here comes someone who has been here for eight years. He gets rewarded afterwards till death. This nonsense must stop.”
Mr. Abiodun Bamigboye, the acting National Chairperson of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) and Oyo State Coordinator of Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights (CDWR), urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to speak out and not stay silent regarding this issue.
He called upon Nigerians to unite and collectively oppose the current situation, urging them to take a firm stance against it.
Bamigboye said: “It is not only wrong, it is condemnable. I think every well-meaning Nigerian must speak against it to ensure they drop such an anti-people plan. None of the political office holders deserve to earn a single Kobo after vacating their respective offices. These are the set of Nigerians who live in opulence.
“They receive huge salaries and allowances while in office. It is not like a normal civil servant that survives on poor pay, which is the minimum wage of N30, 000. If there are Nigerians who deserve a fat pension after leaving office, it should be the Nigerian workers who earn N30, 000 as minimum wage and not political office holders who are entitled to millions as salaries and allowances while in office.
“The huge amount of money further underscores that the interest of the poor working people is always the least on the priority list of Nigeria’s pro-capitalist government.
“If not, given all the crises people are facing in the country, it should be the last thing. As we speak, the Academic Staff Union of Nigeria, ASUU, demand has not been attended to. A few days ago, resident doctors just suspended their strike. Our refinery is comatose.
Chairman, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said: “They are living a life of opulence even as poverty is ravaging Nigerians. They seem not to bother about the degenerating state of families and individuals.
“They do not look in the direction of things that would make life convenient for an average Nigerian, they make life more difficult. “Generally, the leaders have pillaged the resources of this country too much for them to go away with it.
“They are supposed to return some of their earnings to the coffers of the federation instead of going away with a huge sum of money at the end of their lacklustre tenure. Unfortunately, the constitution provides them the power to exploit the weakness of the mass of the Nigerian people. “It is a lopsided distribution of this country’s wealth that widens the gap between the rich and the poor.
“Basically, they don’t deserve it at all. It is obscene and immoral. Even if the law gives them the opportunity, they should have been moralistic in their thinking and empathise with the average Nigerian to say that they have been impoverished while we were in office, we should not impoverish them further even after we exit office.” He added
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expresses deep sadness over the sudden death of Mr Dotun Oladipo, former Political Editor of The Punch newspaper and Publisher of The Eagle Online, describing his death as a painful loss to Nigeria’s media industry and the nation at large.
President Tinubu acknowledges the deceased’s contributions to journalism, particularly his years of dedicated service in political reporting and his commitment to providing Nigerians with credible information through both traditional and digital media platforms.
The President says Oladipo’s professional career reflected the important role journalists play in strengthening democracy by informing citizens, holding public officials accountable and providing platforms for robust public discourse.
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He recalls the deceased’s passion for his profession and his contributions to the growth of digital journalism through The Eagle Online, which he founded after his remarkable career at Punch Newspaper.
“Dotun Oladipo’s death at the age of 56 is a painful loss to the Nigerian media community and to our nation. He was a committed journalist who devoted significant years of his life to informing the public and contributing to the development of our democracy.
“His contributions to political journalism and the digital media space will not be forgotten. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues in GOCOP and friends. I pray that Almighty God will grant him eternal rest and give his loved ones the strength to bear this irreparable loss,” President Tinubu notes.
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, has expressed profound sadness over the death of veteran journalist and publisher of The Eagle Online, Dotun Oladipo.
Akpabio described Oladipo’s passing as a painful loss to the Nigerian media industry and the nation, noting his significant contributions to journalism, public discourse and the growth of online media in Nigeria.
The President of the Senate commiserated with the family, friends, colleagues and professional associates of the deceased, particularly members of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), where Oladipo served as Emeritus President.
“Dotun Oladipo was a courageous, principled and dedicated journalist who devoted a significant part of his life to the pursuit of truth, responsible journalism and the advancement of society.
“His sudden passing is a profound loss to his family, the journalism profession and Nigeria as a whole. His immense contributions to the development of online journalism, as well as his commitment to professional excellence, integrity and public interest, will remain indelible.
“As the philosopher John Stuart Mill reminded us, ‘He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that.’ Dotun understood that a free and responsible press must listen, question and speak truth to power. His life demonstrated that journalism, when guided by courage and conscience, can illuminate society and strengthen democracy.
“His legacy will continue to inspire journalists and media professionals who believe in the power of responsible journalism to strengthen democracy and contribute to national development,” Akpabio said.
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The Senate President prayed that God Almighty would grant the deceased eternal rest and give his family, friends, colleagues and loved ones the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Akpabio also urged members of the media to uphold and build upon Oladipo’s legacy of professionalism, integrity, courage and unwavering commitment to the public interest.
“May God acquaint his soul with the compass of His course” he added.
Norway’s King Harald V has died at the age of 89, bringing an end to his more than three-decade reign and ushering in a new era for the Norwegian monarchy.
The Royal Palace announced on Friday, August 28, 2026, that the monarch died peacefully at Oslo University Hospital at 6:35am local time.
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“It is with deep sadness that we announce that His Majesty King Harald passed away today. King Harald passed away peacefully at Oslo University Hospital on Friday, August 28 at 6:35 am,” the palace said in a statement.
King Harald, who ascended the throne in 1991, had been hospitalised in Oslo since August 17 while receiving treatment for haemolytic anaemia.
His condition became “extremely serious” on Thursday, prompting members of the royal family to gather at his bedside.
His 53-year-old son, Crown Prince Haakon, has automatically succeeded him as monarch under Norway’s constitutional succession rules. He is expected to take the name King Haakon VIII.
Following the announcement of Harald’s death, the flag at the Royal Palace in Oslo was lowered to half-mast, while members of the public gathered outside the palace to lay flowers and mourn the late monarch.
Harald was widely regarded as a popular and unifying figure during his 35 years on the throne. He was also known for his modest lifestyle and efforts to modernise the monarchy.
Kaspara Bolstad, 24, described him as “a very steady and warm king.”
“I think the entire Norwegian people see him as a role model and as someone who brings people together. Whether you’re for or against the monarchy, I think he’s well-liked across the board,” she said.
Magnus Skaugseth, 27, also praised the late King’s inclusive approach.
“He was so inclusive and committed to having values that are inclusive in the society we live in today. When there is so much division and polarisation, he was a pillar pointing in the opposite direction,” Skaugseth said.
Harald had experienced several health challenges in recent years and had undergone procedures including the fitting of a pacemaker. Despite his declining health, he repeatedly ruled out abdication, maintaining that his oath to serve Norway was lifelong.
His death comes during a turbulent period for the Norwegian royal family, which has faced a series of health and personal controversies in recent months.
With Harald’s death, Crown Prince Haakon now takes over the Norwegian throne, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the country’s monarchy.
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