Gov Adeleke Dragged To Court Over Sack Of Commissions’ Members

Governor Ademola Adeleke has been dragged to the National Industrial Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, over the dissolution of the Statutory Commissions.

Recall that Adeleke had on October 30 dissolved the State Independent Electoral Commission, Osun State Judicial Service Commission, State Civil Service Commission, and Osun State House of Assembly Service Commission.

Also, after the screening and verification of new appointees by the Osun State House of Assembly, the governor swore in new members of the statutory boards on Monday in Osogbo.

In challenging the governor, the sacked board members, through their counsel Muhydeen Adeoye Galadima, filed an N2 billion suit against Governor Adeleke, challenging their dissolution.

The sacked members contended in four separate suits that they were sacked before the completion of their five-year tenure, which ought to end in 2025.

They also urged, among other reliefs, the court to nullify the dissolution and direct Governor Adeleke to stop giving further effect to the purported constitution of the new commissions.

In one of the suits, the sacked OSSIEC Chairman, Segun Oladitan, and six members urged the court to compel the governor to reinstate them to their offices and allow them to serve out their five-year tenure that would end by 2025.

Babafemi Osunro and four others urged the court to declare the dissolution of the Osun State Civil Service Commission before 2025 as illegal and demanded reinstatement and payment of N500m damages.

In their suit, Awolola Abiodun and six others challenged the dissolution of the Osun House of Assembly Service Commission, while Adebayo Salmon and three others asked the court to nullify the order of the governor sacking them as members of the Osun State Judicial Service Commission.

The claimants also prayed the court to ask the state government to pay damages in the sum of N500 million to them in each suit.

Joined as defendants in the suits are the Governor of Osun State, the Attorney General of Osun State, the Commissioner for Finance of Osun State and the Osun State House of Assembly.

The claimants’ counsel, Adeoye, also stated that all the parties had been served, and they are waiting for the court to pick the hearing date.