Past Deputy Governor Sues Ondo State Government Over Unpaid Pension
The immediate past Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo, has dragged the state government to Court over the non payment of his outstanding emoluments and monthly arrears.
Oluboyo in the suit filed on his behalf by his Counsel, Olu Ogidan, prayed the court to compel the state government to pay his gratuities and pension running into millions of Naira.
Oluboyo who replaced Alhaji Ali Olanusi, who was impeached in 2015, maintained that he is entitled to pension and other benefits attached to the office as contained and stipulated by the law.
Earlier, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice had in a letter affirmed that Oluboyo was entitled to his gratuity but failed to state if the former Deputy governor is entitled to monthly pension as passed into law by the State House of Assembly.
Oluboyo, however, disagreed with the letter which only recognized the two-year period he was in office, saying he is entitled to all benefits of his former office as Deputy Governor.
In a suit, no AK/75/2019 filed in the High Court of Ondo State with the Governor, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice as well as the Ondo State Pensions Board as defendants, the claimant, Alhaji Oluboyo prayed for the payment of what is due to him as former number two citizen of the state.
The Claimant is also seeking for the sum of N10 million as damages to compensate him for his “untold hardship, emotional distress, scorn and ridicule to which the action of the Defendants exposed the Claimant to”.
The Court is yet to fix a date for the hearing of the suit.
Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo’s letter was titled “Re: Request for payment of arrears of monthly allowance of Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo” and addressed to the Acting Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Department, Governor’s Office, read in parts that,
“I am directed to advice you that His Excellency, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo is entitled to his emoluments and monthly arrears yet unpaid covering the period for which he was in office between 27th April 2015 and 24th February 2017.”
“A Declaration that the Claimant having assumed the office of the Deputy Governor of Ondo State and having served meritoriously in that capacity is entitled to the payment of arrears of his pension, allowances, benefits and all other entitlements due and payable to him as former Deputy Governor of Ondo State.
“A Declaration that the letter dated 12th February, 2019 written by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice to the Acting Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Department, limiting the payment of the monthly allowances and entitlement of the Claimant to the period within which he was in office as Deputy Governor of Ondo State, between 27th April 2015 and 24th February 2017, is null and void having contravened the provision of the Law to provide for Pensions to the Governor and Deputy Governor of Ondo State and for other Ancillary matters, 2004.
“A Declaration that the Claimant is entitled to the payment of his pension, allowances benefits and all other entitlements for life having served as Deputy Governor of Ondo State between 27th April 2015 and 24th February 2007 equivalent to the annual salary of an incumbent Governor or Deputy Governor.
”A mandatory order directing the Defendants to pay all arrears of pension, allowances benefits and all other entitlements due and payable to the Claimant as a former Deputy Governor of Ondo State and to pay his pension for life at the rate equivalent to the annual salary of an incumbent Governor or Deputy Governor.
