By our correspondent
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has described former lawmakers as reservoir of insights whose wealth of experience is valuable to the task of nation building.
He said that the collective wisdom of the former lawmakers can be harnessed for Nigeria’s progress.
The Deputy Speaker revealed that the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ready to work with the former legislators to realize the administration’s noble objectives of repositioning the country.
Kalu spoke on Saturday at the maiden gathering of the Nigerian Former Legislators Forum (NFLF), an association he convened in Enugu State.
The event attracted many high profile former lawmakers from the National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Legislative Assemblies across the federation amongst whom were former Senate Presidents Ken Nnamani and Anyim Pius Anyim; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara; former Deputy of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha; former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha and former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah.
He said that the NFLF will adopt a robust framework that prioritizes pension security, holistic welfare, institutionalized expertise, and privileges for its members.
Kalu also emphasized the need for a unified approach to secure their dignity and support each other beyond their tenure.
The Deputy Speaker further proposed
a hybrid pension model combining contributory and non-contributory schemes to ensure sustainability and safeguard of the former lawmakers.
Other proposals he made included the establishment of a Knowledge Bureau to document legislative best practices and launch study groups on critical issues: granting lifetime ID cards, healthcare insurance, and parking privileges to honor the service of the former lawmakers and creating an Executive Committee and Advisory Board to guide strategic partnerships and ensure continuity.
He said that the NFLF aims to transcend partisan divides, champion pension reforms, and build a policy advocacy group to influence national policies.
Speaking about partnering globally and leveraging technology, the Deputy Speaker added that the forum seeks to strengthen democracy, project Nigeria’s voice, and harness the collective wisdom of its legislative heritage.
He referenced the United States Congress, the South African parliament, Indonesia amongst others, adding that Nigeria should not live in isolation hence the need to integrate the former lawmakers through the body.
He said: “Here in Nigeria, our NFLF must rise to meet four imperatives. First, pension security. Unlike the U.S. or South Africa, we lack a unified framework. Let us adopt a hybrid model: contributory schemes for sustainability, paired with non-contributory safeguards for indigent retirees. Mirroring the U.S., we could allow partial pension computation for an immediate needs lifeline for those transitioning to private life.
“Beyond pension, the Forum must champion the holistic welfare of
its members, supporting one another politically, socially, and economically. We must form a strong policy-pressure group and legislative-lobbying arm to advocate for our collective interests within the corridors of power. In doing so, we recognise that the nation has invested vast resources in training each legislator present here; allowing that investment to go to waste upon leaving office should be discouraged at all costs. This platform will reduce the pressures on those who lose elections by providing mentorship, networking opportunities, and pathways into new careers and public service roles.
“Third, institutionalizing expertise. Former legislators are reservoirs of insight, not relics. The NFLF must establish a Knowledge Bureau to document legislative best practices and
launch Congressional Study Groups on critical issues like the economy, security, foreign policy, and trade. Let us partner with universities, as the U.S. does, deploying former members as ambassadors for civic literacy on campuses and in communities.
“Fourth, privileges and facilities. Inspired by the U.S., we should grant lifetime ID cards for National Assembly access, certain privileges for post-tenure transitions like healthcare insurance, and parking in legislative complexes. These courtesies, overseen by bipartisan committees, honour service while preventing abuse.
“The NFLF’s institutional framework must mirror global rigour. An Executive Committee with staggered terms will ensure continuity, while an Advisory Board of corporate and policy experts will guide strategic partnerships. Funding will rely on endowment funds, membership dues, corporate donations, and a grants self-sustaining model similar to the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC)”.
Calling for further action, Kalu urged his predecessors and peers to go beyond partisan divides to reach the desired objectives of the association.
“To my predecessors and peers, let us transcend partisan divides. The NFLF must champion pension reforms to secure retirees’ dignity, support each other holistically, and synergize to build a policy advocacy and pressure group that influences key national policies; leverage technology for virtual mentorship and policymaking and partner globally, drawing from Indonesia’s dialogue-driven approach and the U.S. and U.K.’s bipartisan assemblage.
“As we embark on this noble national endeavor, it is fitting that the Nigerian Former Legislators Forum takes root here in the South East, drawing first upon the seasoned insight of our former legislators from this dear geopolitical zone of ours. Today’s maiden convergence in Enugu, a city of storied resilience and strategic importance, signals our commitment to building a strong foundation. From this southeastern epicenter, the Forum will
expand in membership and institutional reach across every geopolitical zone, ensuring that the collective wisdom of Nigeria’s entire legislative heritage is harnessed for the nation’s progress”, he said.
