Panel indicts ex-Ekiti labour leaders over partisan politics, cash, land deals

THE Former executives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) in Ekiti State have landed themselves in trouble for allegedly receiving cash and landed properties from the Ayo Fayose administration.

The ex- labour chiefs were investigated and found guilty of colluding with the Fayose administration to appropriate N6 million monthly running grants to themselves and another N6 million quarterly running grants for their meetings.

They were also investigated for alleged involvement in partisan politics, contrary to the Public Service Rules; and using their positions to corner plots of land under suspicious circumstances during the immediate past government.

The indicted officials include the immediate past NLC Chairman, Mr. Raymond Ade Adesanmi; former TUC Chairman Mr. Odunayo Adesoye; ex- JNC Chairman Mr. Oladipupo Johnson and former NLC Secretary Mr. O.P. Olayemi.

Others are former JNC Secretary Mr. Blessing Oladele; ex-Chairperson of TUC Women Wing Mrs. Bolajoko Fajulugbe; former Chairperson of NLC Women Wing Mrs. Toyin Ofere and others.

The Nation learnt that the former union leaders were investigated by a panel of inquiry headed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Sunday Adebayo.

The panel swung into action late last year after the state government received petitions from some aggrieved workers, who accused the former labour leaders of colluding with Fayose to deny them their welfare.

The alleged running grant fraud had been documented in the State Auditor General’s 2017 Financial Audit Report, which was also made available to the panel.

A prelude to the former labour leaders’ predicament was a query issued to them by the Office of Establishment and Training, which they were directed to answer within 24 hours.

According to the query dated May 7, 2019 and signed by one Mr. T.O. Ajobiewe on behalf of the Head of Service, Mr. Ayodeji Ajayi, the action of the affected officials was inimical to the image of the public service.