The Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure yesterday, struck out the suit filed by the former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo on the non-payment of his pension and other entitlements as a former deputy governor, saying that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain such case.

Justice Olabode Adegbehingbe in his ruling held that the court has no jurisdiction to hear the case because the suit ought to have been filed at National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

The claimant had sued the Ondo State Government over the non-payment of his outstanding emoluments and monthly pension arrears as former deputy governor of the state.

Oluboyo, was a deputy to ex-Governor Olusegun Mimiko from April 27, 2015 to April 24, 2017. He replaced Alhaji Ali Olanusi following the latter’s impeachment.

In his prayers, Counsel to the claimant, Mr. Olu Ogidan prayed the court to recognise Oluboyo as the authentic former deputy governor in the state and to compel the state government to pay all his entitlements including gratuity and life pension running to several millions of naira.

The counsel declared that the claimant having assumed office of the deputy governor of the state and having served meritoriously in the capacity is entitled to the payment of arrears of his pension, allowances, benefits and all other entitlements due and payable to him as a former deputy governor.

He prayed that the sum of N10,000,000 as exemplary and aggravated damage should be paid to compensate and or assuage the claimants of the untold hardship, emotional distress , scorn and ridicule to which the action of the defendants exposed the claimant to in the circumstances of the case.

The suit, No. AK/75/2019 filed in the High Court of Ondo State, has the governor, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice as well as the Ondo State Pensions Board as co-defendants.

Speaking with journalists, Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Justice, Mr. Cyril Akinrinsola said the case was dismissed for lack of merit.

He said such cases should be heard by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria and not State High Court.

His words ” the claimant (Oluboyo) ought to have approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria as the only court prescribed by constitution to hear matters relating to payment of entitlements of the office of the governor and the deputy governor.

SOURCE: https://citadelng.com/court-dismisses-oluboyos-case-against-odsg/

The poor old man was not properly guided by his lawyer. Such matters are within the jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court. Now he has wasted his little resources for nothing.
Meanwhile, am I not FTC?