…to collect salary arrears from Jan. 2022, retirement entitlements.
Emmanuel Kehinde, Ilorin
The National Industrial Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State has declared as illegal, and of no effect, the sack of Kwara State Auditor General, Mr. Omoniyi Adeyeye by the state government.
Adeyeye had in a suit No. NICN/IL/01/2022 dragged the Governor of Kwara State, Hon. Saheed Popoola; the then Chairman, Public Accounts Committee of the State House of Assembly, Kwara State Civil Service Commission and Mrs Susan Oluwole the State Head of Service to court challenging his wrongful removal from office as Auditor General of Kwara State .
In his 36-paragraph statement of claims the Auditor General was asking the Industrial Court to declare that in the discharge of his duties, he did not commit any act of misconduct.
He Urged the court to declare that his purported removal from office of the Auditor General of Kwara State was in breach of Section 127 (1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) .
He also demanded an order of the court to declare that his removal from office on 28th January, 2022, is illegal and that he remains the Auditor General of Kwara State without a loss of his full salary, emoluments, privileges and entitlements.
He demanded the sum of N25 million as General Damages ‘for the mental and psychological trauma and agony’ to which he was subjected to by the defedants in the case.
Adeyeye prayed for a declaration that the Kwara State Public Audit (Re-Enactment) Law, 2021 is null and void for being inconsistent with Section 127 (2) of the Consititution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
Delivering his judgement Justice K.D Damulak declared that the removal of Omoniyi Adeyeye as the Auditor General of Kwara State was illegal, null, void and of no effect.
He ordered that Mr. Omoniyi Adeyeye remains the Auditor General of Kwara State until 26th September, 2023 when he clocked the retirement age of 60 adding that his salaries from 28th January, 2022 up to that date be paid alongside all acquiring entitlements within one month.