Osun SUBEB: Court Dismisses Suit Filed By Oyetola’s Appointees

The National Industrial Court In Ibadan, presided over by Justice J.D. Peters, has dismissed the suit filed by the dissolved members of the Osun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) against Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Members of the dissolved SUBEB board led by its former Chairman, Hon. Ajibola Famurewa had approached the court on March 6, 2023, through their Counsel, Zacchuaeus Alayinde in separate suits to seek the declaration of their dissolution as illegal and unconstitutional.

They urged the Court to order Governor Adeleke to pay their salaries and emoluments from November 2022 till the expiration of their tenure and also demanded damages to the tune of N500 million.

The claimants further prayed the Court to order the Osun State Government and Governor Adeleke to pay the sum of Eighty Million Naira, being payment for their salaries, furniture allowance, imprest and leave Allowance/Bonus.

The legal team from the Ministry of Justice, led by the Director of Litigation and Advisory Services, Barrister Jide Obisakin appearing with Barrister Bamidele Salawu, had earlier told the court that the claimants were not qualified to be appointed, pursuant to the Law that established the SUBEB.

Obisakin stated further that the claimants letter of appointment were dated 21st of July, 2020 but took effect from 1st of May, 2020 in contravention of the law that established the board.

During the trial,Obisakin presented several exhibits, including the judgement delivered by the High Court of Osun State, sitting in Ilesa, buttressing same with the law enacted by the Osun State House of Assembly, reverting ‘State of Osun’, which the appointment letters of the claimants bore, to ‘Osun State’.

In his judgement, Justice J.D Peters stated that the claimants were not appointed into the office pursuant to the law that established the SUBEB in the State.

He subsequently refused all the reliefs sought by the claimants and also dismissed their case in it’s entirety.