Court Adjourns Suit Against Aregbesola Over Non-appointment of Commissioners

 

An Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo has on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 adjourned the case filed against the governor of Osun state, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola over non-appointment of commissioners since the inception of his second term in office.

For two years now, Aregbesola has been running his government without constituting his State Executive Council (SEC).

A lawyer, Barrister Kanmi Ajibola, has challenged Aregbesola in court, accusing him of unconstitutional act by ruling the state as a sole administrator without having a single commissioner since November 2014.

Ajibola, while explaining to the court, noted that the defendant in the suit has been duly served with the originating processes of the case while the chamber of the state former Attorney-General, Barrister Wale Afolabi and Co. had entered appearances for the defendant.

The lawyer has sought for seven reliefs in his originating summons, saying the governor in administering, ruling and controlling the state perpetually without appointing commissioners into the available ministries in the state “is illegal and unconstitutional”.

According to him, Aregbesola as the governor was bound by constitutional strength of the oath of his office and code of conduct to appoint state executives, while noting that failure to do such contravened the stipulated 1999 constitution of the country.

But responding, counsel representing Aregbesola, Barr. G.T. Odumu claimed before the court that his office was not aware of the case coming up, begging the court to give them a timeframe to which the preliminary objection would be served.

Barrister Ajibola said, “There should be immediate response to the main originating matter on time because I’m ready to serve another notice immediately, even the preliminary objection should be struck out”.

However, subject to the excuse of the defendant’s counsel, the presiding judge, Justice A.O Ayoola lamented that it was a laxity on the side of the defendant counsel to have delayed the preliminary objection to the present time, asking the counsel to immediately serve same as soon as possible.

In his objection, Aregbesola contended that the plaintiff lacked locus standi to institute the said action against him, adding that the court the court also lacked the requisite jurisdiction to entertain same suit.

Subsequently, Justice Ayoola adjourned the matter till Thursday, October 27, 2016.