OSUN: Members Of Statutory Boards Dissolved By Gov Adeleke Demand N500m Damages, Reinstatement

Governor Ademola Adeleke has been dragged before the National Industrial Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, for dissolving statutory board members before the expiration of their tenure.

The statutory boards which are Judiciary Service Commission, Civil Service Commission, Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) and Osun State House of Assembly Service Commission, through their counsel, Kunle Adegoke, SAN, demanded N500 million as damages from the state government.

It would be recalled that Adeleke dissolved the board and appointed another set of people into those positions last week.

In the suits dated November 13th 2023, the plaintiffs; Olusegun Oladitan (ex-OSSIEC chair), Babafemi Olatunji (Civil Service Commission), Adebayo Waliyu (Judicial Service Commission) and Awolola Abiodun ( House of Assembly Service Commission) asked the court to compel the government and its agents to reinstate the boards to complete their five year tenures.

They also demanded from the defendants; the Governor of Osun state, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, the Commissioner for Finance and the Osun State House of Assembly, to be reinstated as board members.

The plaintiffs further sought the court to declare the dissolution of their individual boards as illegal, ultra vires and unconstitutional.

Three board Chairmen and members urged the court to order the defendants to pay their salaries and emoluments from November 2023 till the expiration of their tenure and also demanded damages to the tune of N500 million.