Court Dismisses Suit On Osun SUBEB Dissolution

National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) has dismissed the suit filed by the dissolved members of Osun State Universal Basic Education Board against Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Former SUBEB chairman and members of the dissolved board had on March 6, 2023 approached the court in Ibadan through their counsel, Zacchaeus Alayinde, to seek redress over their dissolution and declare it as illegal and unconstitutional.

They urged the court to order Governor  Adeleke to pay their salaries and emoluments from November 2023 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 state government and the governor to pay the sum of N80 million, being payment for their salaries, furniture allowance, imprest and leave allowance/bonus.

Osun legal team led by the director of litigation and advisory services, Jide Obisakin, had earlier told the court that the claimants were not qualified to be appointed, pursuant to the law that established the SUBEB.

Obisakin said the claimants letters of appointment were dated July 21, 2020 but to take effect from May 1, 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 said the claimants were not appointed into the office pursuant to the law that established SUBEB in the state.

He subsequently refused all the reliefs sought by the claimants and also dismissed their case.