The former governors who appeared to be jittery over the court order are said to be determined to overturn the order.
One of the former governors who spoke on condition of anonymity there is more to the court order than meet the eye.
He wondered why former governors were being targeted when there are other retired public officers who had served and also received pension.
A Federal High Court in Lagos had ordered the Federal Government to recover pensions collected by former governors now serving as ministers and members of the National Assembly.
The court also directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN to challenge the legality of states’ pension laws permitting former governors and other former public officials to collect such pensions.
The former governor said: “Nobody really wants to talk about the court order on retrieval of paid pensions.
“There is certainly more to it. Why are we being targeted? There are retired military officers and other public servants who were in government and also received pension. Why is it being made to look as if we paid ourselves?
“Some of us have made up our minds to explore further legal alternative to challenge the order. It can’t be left unchallenged because we did not pay ourselves.
He continued: “The law that grants us pension as ex-governors is a valid law of the States. The law as far as I am concerned subsists. Nobody has challenged the law in any state and it would be against the constitution for the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice or any other person for that matter to attempt to tamper or reverse a state law without due process.
“Are we no longer operating a federal system of government?” he asked.
“The Constitution has granted the three tiers of government their specific roles.
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