4 Osun Statutory Commissions Ex-board Members Drag Adeleke to Court over 'Illegal' Disengagement

Members of the four recently dissolved statutory commissions in Osun State have dragged the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, before a National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, challenging the dissolution.

Adeleke had on 30th October 2023, announced the dissolution of the state Independent Electoral Commission, Osun State Judicial Service Commission, Osun State Civil Service Commission and Osun State House of Assembly Service Commission.

But in four different suits filed by their counsel, Muhydeen Adeoye, before the court, the claimants urged it to void their sack and order the governor to pay claimants in each of the suits, N500 million damages, among other reliefs.

In the originating summons filed before the court, copies of which were obtained by Punch in Osogbo on Tuesday, apart from the governor, the claimants also joined in the suits, the state Attorney General, Commissioner for Finance and the State House of Assembly.

In one of the suits, the ex-OSSIEC Chairman, Segun Oladitan, and six members that served alongside him had urged the court to declare the dissolution of the Commission and refusal to pay salaries and other emoluments due to them as illegal.

They also urged the court to compel the governor to reinstate them back to their offices and allow them to serve out their 5-year tenure that would end by 2025.

In a similar vein, Babafemi Osunro and four others urged the court to declare the dissolution of the state Civil Service Commission before 2025 when the tenure of the members would lapse, as illegal and demanded reinstatement and payment of N500 million in damages.

In their suit, Awolola Abiodun and 6 others challenged the dissolution of the Osun House of Assembly Service Commission, while Adebayo Salmon and 3 others asked the court to nullify the order of the governor, sacking them as members of the State Judicial Service Commission before the expiration of their tenure in 2027.

They also demanded payment of their outstanding salaries since November 2022 and N500m damages.

Counsel to the claimants, Adeoye, who said all parties have been served, added that they were waiting for the court to pick a date for them to appear before it.

Punch