The immediate former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo, has sued the Ondo State Government over non-payment of his outstanding emoluments as well as his pension.
Oluboyo through his counsel, Mr Olu Ogidan asked the court to compel the government to pay his gratuities and pension running into millions of Naira.
The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice had in a letter affirmed that Oluboyo was entitled to his gratuity but made no comment on his monthly pension as passed into law by the State House of Assembly.
However, Oluboyo who replaced Alhaji Ali Olanusi after his impeachment disagreed with the letter.
Pointedly, he emphasized that he is entitled to all benefits of his former office as Deputy Governor as stipulated in the laws of the state.
The letter entitled, “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, “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.”
In a suit, no AK/75/2019 file 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 he is entitled as former number two citizen of the state.
“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 if 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 Ancillaey 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.
Consequently, the Claimant is seeking for the sum of N10 million as damages to compensate for his “untold hardship, emotional distress, scorn and ridicule to which the action of the Defendants exposed the Claimant to, ” as the court is yet to fix a date for the hearing of the suit.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that the non-payment of the former Deputy Governor’s emoluments might not be unconnected with his refusal to decamp from his party, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to sources, chieftains of the APC in the state have been wooing Oluboyo to their side in order to work for the party (APC), with juicy offers thrown at him which they said he has constantly turned down.
