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Tag: Ali Olanusi

  • Ex-deputy governor sues Ondo govt. over unpaid entitlements

    For non-payment of his outstanding emoluments and monthly arrears, the immediate past Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo has dragged the State Government to Court.

    Through his counsel, Olu Ogidan, the former Deputy Governor prayed the court to mandate the government to pay his gratuities and pension running into millions of Naira.

    Earlier the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice had affirmed in a letter that Oluboyo was entitled to his gratuity.

    However, he did not make reference to his monthly pension as passed into law by the State House of Assembly.

    Oluboyo who is from Ikare-Akoko replaced Alhaji Ali Olanusi from the neighboring Supare-Akoko after his impeachment by the State Assembly, faulting the content of the letter which only recognized the two-year period he served as the deputy governor.

    He insisted that he is entitled to all benefits attached to his former office as Deputy Governor as stipulated in the laws of the state.

    The letter is 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.

    It states that  “I am directed to advise 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 suit no AK/75/2019 filed in the High Court of Justice, Ondo State has the Governor, Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice as well as the Ondo State Pensions Board as defendants.

    Read Also: Seven feared killed in Ondo bank robbery

    Oluboyo, the claimant, asked for the payment of what is lawfully due to him as former deputy governor of the state.

    He sought for “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 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.

    The Claimant is consequently seeking 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.

    Sources hinted 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).

     

  • Ondo APC to Olanusi: behave like a statesman

    The Ondo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress(APC) on Thursday denied the allegation by former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi that President Muhammadu Buhari lost in Ondo state due to the anti-party activities of the leadership of the ruling party.

    Olanusi at a forum of the Concerned APC leaders in Akure, the state capital on Tuesday accused Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of compromising the election because of the NWC’s decision to endorse the three incumbent Senators as automatic candidates, which prompted his alleged sponsoring of opposition Action Alliance(AA) candidates.

    A statement by APC’s Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro said the former deputy governor has never been on the same page with the party leadership in the state, stressing that he is not competent to comment on the affairs of the party in the state.

    Besides, the party faulted the claim that the governor allegedly diverted the fund disbursed to Ondo state by the national leadership of the party for the 2019 general election and financed AA candidates in the state.

    It said” With these statements, Olanusi’s group had brought to fore their secret apathy against Akeredolu who refused to do their biddings. We should be reminded that Olanusi claimed huge amount from the present APC-led government in Ondo State to offset his accumulated salary arrears over his removal from office by the previous administration.

    Read Also: ‘How Buhari lost in Ondo’

    “He refused to acknowledge the governor’s quick response to his plight, rather, he countered the effort with contempt. When he demanded for more money and was denied, he became dissatisfied and turned himself into a critic of the APC’s government,he claimed to be its Board of Trustees (BoT) member at the national level.

    ” We have it on record that he is planning ahead of the 2020 to present an unpopular governorship candidate for election in the state,but he doesn’t have to heat up the polity over such clandestine moves that will die on arrival”

    The statement emphasised that the party leadership in the state would not succumb to the group’s cheap blackmail and lies flying around.

    It said “We are advising Olanusi and his group to desist from constituting themselves as enemies of the party they claimed to belong.The former deputy governor particularly should behave as a true statesman and member, APC’s Trustee.

  • ‘Olanusi’s comment on indirect primary misleading’

    The Ondo State government has condemned a statement credited to former deputy governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Ali Olanusi.

    It described the statement as “a mix of mischief and double speak”.

    Reports had said Olanusi purportedly condemned the adoption of indirect primary by the state APC ahead of next year’s general elections.

    But a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Yemi Olowolabi, noted that Olanusi’s statement was “intricately woven to misinform, mislead and manipulate sacred facts to achieve clearly perverted political goals”.

    The government said: “Our attention has been drawn to reports credited to …Alhaji Olanusi, who purportedly condemned the adoption of indirect primary by the state chapter of the APC ahead of next year’s general elections. This report smells like a mix of mischief and doublespeak intricately woven to misinform, mislead and manipulate sacred facts to achieve clearly perverted political goals.

    “For the record, Alhaji Olanusi was not only present but also actively participated at the Ondo State APC Executive Committee meeting on September 5, where stakeholders unanimously adopted indirect primary to select the party’s candidates for the 2019 general elections.

    “In fact, Olanusi actually set the tone for the debate, which culminated in the rejection of direct primary with his personal story: ‘I joined the APC 48 hours to the presidential election in 2015. Up till now, I don’t have APC membership card. You can then imagine, if, as a senior member of the party, I don’t have a membership card. What then is the fate of other people who are members of the party?’”

    The government faulted Olanusi’s stand, especially describing direct primary as “a recipe for confusion since the party was not yet prepared for all requirements of direct primary”.

    It added: “Other speakers toed this line of reasonable thought and consequently agreed to go with indirect option.

    “From the foregoing, therefore, it is inconceivable for the highly respected politician to turn around and condemn the collective decision of Ondo State APC stakeholders, including himself.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, Alhaji Olanusi’s seminal and illustrative contributions at APC State Executive Committee (SEC) substantially helped in arriving at the final decision to dump the direct primary.”

  • Appeal court’s judgment has corrected ‘executive rascality, impunity’ – Olanusi

    Appeal court’s judgment has corrected ‘executive rascality, impunity’ – Olanusi

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) says Appeal Court’s nullification of impeachment of Alhaji Ali Olanusi, a former Deputy Governor in Ondo State,  has corrected “executive rascality and impunity in the state”.

    Mr  Abayomi Adesanya, the APC Publicity Secretary in Ondo State, in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday described the judgment as “victory for democracy”.

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure on Friday, March 24, annulled the impeachment of Olanusi as the Deputy to the immediate past Governor of the state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko.

    The judgment came two years after Olanusi was impeached by the State House of Assembly.

    The three-man panel, led by Justice Mohammed Danjuma, directed that Olanusi’s salaries and entitlements be paid from April 27, 2015, the date he was purportedly impeached, to Feb. 24 when his tenure expired.

    In the79 page-judgment, the judges said Olanusi was not given fair hearing during the impeachment process.

    The APC Publicity Secretary said the nullification of the impeachment by the court had corrected “executive rascality and impunity of the immediate past government in the state’’.

    He called on the former Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Lasisi Oluboyo, who replaced Olanusi, to immediately refund all monies, salaries, entitlements, privileges and vehicles received as a deputy governor.

    “We advise the former and illegal occupant of the office of the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr Lasisi Oluboyo, to refund all monies accrued to him, either as salaries or allowances while illegally occupying the office of the deputy governor.

    “Oluboyo should also honourably return all government’s vehicles and properties at his disposal to the state government,” Adesanya said.

     

  • No grudges against those behind my impeachment – Ex-Ondo deputy governor

    A former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr Ali Olanusi, who was impeached in 2015 under the administration of the immediate past Governor Olusegun Mimiko, said on Saturday that he had no grudges or ill-feelings against those who masterminded his removal.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure on Friday reversed the impeachment of Olanusi as the deputy governor.

    Olanusi was impeached by the state House of Assembly on April 27, 2015, following his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the then state ruling party – Labour Party – on the platform he was elected with Mimiko.

    Mimiko, who also defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), completed his eight-year tenure in February and handed over to the incumbent governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu of APC.

    In an interview with newsmen in Akure, Olanusi, said his vindication was not by his cleverness, but by God.

    “There is no cause for revenge, if God did not want all these to happen, it would not have turned out this way.

    “The injustice has been exposed to the people of Ondo State and may God reward all accordingly,” he said.

    Olanusi also praised the Nigerian judiciary for granting true justice to anyone who sought it.

    He said: “I also thank the people of Ondo State, who stood by me in the period of my travails and did not lose hope.’’

    Also speaking with newsmen, Counsel to Olanusi, Mr Richamond Natha-Alade, noted that the court had done justice because Olanusi was wrongfully impeached under the last administration.

    “The best interest of Nigeria has been served and it is on this ground that the court granted all our requests; everybody is bound by the law.

    “It is a new dawn in Nigeria because the judgment is classical and it touches on every aspect of law that borders on infringement of rights,” Natha-Alade said

     

  • Olanusi’s impeachment temporary – APC

    The All Progressive Congress in Ondo State has described the impeachment of the state’s deputy governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, as temporary, vowing to reclaim the mandate through legal means.

    The party, who lamented the unlawful process of the impeachment, described it as height of impunity by the Peoples Democratic Party led government in the state.

    A statement signed by the Publicity secretary of the party in the state, Omo”ba Abayomi Adesanya ,said it is laughable that a rubber stamped House of Assembly could hurriedly impeached the deputy governor and accept nomination of another person in a haste.

    According to the party, the whole impeachment was a charade which will be thrown away by a court of competent jurisdiction.

    APC alleged that Governor Olusegun Mimiko has turned politics in the state to a desperate affair, saying nothing happened to Mimiko when he decamped and joined the PDP.

    The statement reads, “The impeachment of Alhaji Ali Olanusi as the deputy governor of Ondo State is temporary. The impeachment was a sham and charade. How on earth will a deputy governor be impeached within five days?

    “It shows that there were unholy alliance between the Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Chief Judge, Olasehinde Kumuyi and the governor stooges who called themselves state lawmakers for them to embark on illegal process to impeach the deputy governor.

    “It was clear to the people of the state that before the directive of the State Assembly Speaker to serve Olanusi the impeachment notice, the embattled deputy governor was not in the state. Without any court order, the Speaker directed them to paste the notice on the quarters of the deputy governor and this is unlawful.”

     

     

  • Ondo deputy governor impeached

    Ondo deputy governor impeached

    Ondo State Deputy governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, was on Monday impeached by the state lawmakers.

    He was impeached for alleged misconduct.

    The motion for Olanusi’s impeachment was moved by a majority leader in the Assembly, Ifedayo Akinsoyinu and seconded by Olatunji Dauro, a lawmaker representing Owo 11‎.

    Report says 22 out of the 26 members of the House supported the deputy governor’s impeachment.

    Meanwhile, the state’s commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Lasisi Olubayo, who hails from Ikare Akoko, has been nominated to replace Olanusi.

    The House screening committee is meeting to ratify the appointment of the nominee.

  • ‘No plan to impeach Ondo Deputy Governor’

    ‘No plan to impeach Ondo Deputy Governor’

    A Group, the Akoko Leadership Forum (ALF), warned yesterday against alleged moves to impeach Ondo State Deputy Governor Ali Olanusi.

    The group said such moves could disrupt the peace in the state.

    The forum, which is a think-tank organisation of academics, politicians and professionals from the four local government areas in Akoko, alleged that some state legislators were instrumental to the plan.

    Spokesman of the group Mr. Ade Adejoro urged Governor Olusegun Mimiko to intervene and stop the alleged process.

    ALF said in the alleged plan, the motion for Olanusi’s impeachment is to be moved by a Muslim lawmaker from Akokoland and seconded by another Muslim lawmaker from the area.

    It said: “The scenario is that the member, a Muslim like the deputy governor, is to portray it as if the Muslim community and Akoko people are satisfied with the move. The only thing delaying the action is the absence of any impeachable offence against the deputy governor.

    “From available records, Olanusi is the most contented deputy governor in the federation, who has no record of disagreement with his principal. It is also on record that Olanusi made strenuous efforts to endear the governor to Akokoland for his second term bid through the celebrated ‘Akoko for Mimiko 2012’ rallies.”

    The forum urged the people to dissuade the legislators from embarking on the “suicide mission, which could set the stage for a massive violence”.

    It said: “The planned impeachment of the deputy governor is a direct assault on Akoko nation, which would be counter-productive. We cannot deliberately disturb the peace of Ondo State because of the selfish interest of some individuals.”

    The Assembly denied the allegation.

    The Speaker, Princess Jumoke Akindele, said impeachment is a constitutional matter and the process has to start from the appropriate quarter, adding that there was no information from any quarter to that effect.

    She said: “We have no reason to commence an impeachment process against the deputy governor. We are not doing anything of that nature. This is the handiwork of the opposition and mischief makers, who are bent on setting the House against the deputy governor and cause disharmony in the Labour Party (LP) family.”

     

  • Driver docked over Mimiko deputy’s crash

    THE driver of the ill-fated vehicle that crashed into the convoy of the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Akeem Bakare, has been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Idanre, Idanre local government area of the state.

    The 30- year-old driver of the Obamuare of Ife Titun in Osun State, Oba Taofeek Olaposi, was charged with reckless and dangerous driving.

    Bakare reportedly drove the Toyota Camry saloon car with plate number ‘OBAMUARE OF IFETUNTUN’ belonging to the monarch, which rammed into the convoy of the deputy governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, and other vehicles.

    The incident, which occurred on February 1 near Aponmu village along Akure-Ondo road, led to the death of the entire family members of the Chairman of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Akure Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Alex Akinwale.

    Aside the late journalist, his wife, Kehinde; daughter, Pauline, and their housemaid, Bose, died in the road mishap.

    The Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Omolayo Olusegun, brought a two-count charge punishable under the Ondo State Laws against the defendant.

    She, however, urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody, pending when the duplicate of the case file is transferred to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the state Ministry of Justice for legal advice.

    But counsel to the accused person, Henry Orumen, asked the court to grant him bail, describing the charges as bailable offence.

    Bakare was later granted bail by Chief Magistrate Bob Manuel with the sum of N1m and two sureties who must be at least level 15 civil servants in Ondo or Osun states, while the case was adjourned till March 19.

     

  • Four killed, Ondo Deputy Governor escapes death in auto crash

    Four killed, Ondo Deputy Governor escapes death in auto crash

    The Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, narrowly escaped death yesterday in a motor accident at Aponmu-Owena on Ondo Road, Akure.

    He was unhurt.

    Four other persons involved in the accident were however not that lucky: they died.

    A traditional ruler, the Osunmakinde of Ife Tuntun in Osun State, Oba Obawure Taofeek Olaposi, was injured and subsequently hospitalised as was a teenager in his car.

    The four dead persons were all travelling in a car said to belong to an employee of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Akure.

    There were divergent versions on how the accident occurred.

    An eyewitness alleged that the driver of Oba Olaposi’s Toyota Camry car rammed into the deputy governor’s convoy.

    Another source attributed the accident to allege over speeding by the deputy governor’s convoy.

    The traditional ruler and the teenager were rushed to a hospital in Akure for treatment while the bodies were deposited in a mortuary.

    Confirming the incident, the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Mr Daisi Ajayi said the Deputy Governor was on his way to Ondo for an official function when the accident occurred.

    He said one of the security cars in the convoy and the Deputy Governor’s spare car were badly damaged.

    Olanusi was, last night being attended to at home by doctors.