Wade Into Severance Seizure, TOP Urges Oyetola

Niyi Olasinde

THE Osun Progressives (TOP), a caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun, has called on Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to intervene in the seizure of severance pay of some former elected local government officials in the state in the interest of the party.

According to TOP, in a press statement signed by its Chairman, Reverend Adelowo Adebiyi, it is an aberration to withhold and deny the dues of a man who has diligently worked for it.

A copy of the press statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday reads: “The Osun Progressives (TOP), a caucus of the APC, found it essential to urge Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to intervene in seizure of the severance pay of some immediate past elected local government officials and direct unconditional payment.

“We waited till now in the hope that personal contacts with affected state officials will yield results but it looks like there is a deliberate desire to have the affected ex-LG operators punished, as government officials insist there are issues to be resolved.

“As at now, the part payments of 25 per cent severance of those who have close affinity with Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola but were said to be having personal issues to settle in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs are yet to be paid.

“We draw Governor Oyetola’s attention, that of APC national leadership and all men of goodwill to the aberration in withholding and denying the dues of a man who has diligently worked for it.

“We note that it runs contrary to the rule of natural justice to so do and indeed the provisions of the laws governing the payment of severance package.

“We even found it irrational that issues like this, which ought to be resolved internally within our party, were brought to the public for washing like the other proverbial dirty linens which had been handled brazenly in the past by the leadership with intent to revenge perceived wrong done to them.”

The statement reads further: “If truly the affected ex-officials have issues to sort out with the ministry, one week should be enough to resolve them, if it is not a case of fraud or vendetta on the part of either actor.

“We remind the political office holders who have been playing and propagating mutual exclusion card against committed party members tagged non-IleriOluwa members of the party that most of the party members that are currently being persecuted were the one who worked tirelessly for the success of the party during the 2018 Governorship Elections and 2019 General Elections.

“The mutual exclusion game which has been the lead policy of the present leadership is an ill wind which will blow nobody any good, we observe.

“A leadership which engages in unbridl0ed segregation is bound to single-handedly pursue alone, tasks which should be jointly done. Agba ti ko ke ohun soro, yo ke itan sare”.o