Ondo Civil Service Chairman Disobeys Governor Aiyedatiwa’s Order To Reinstate Sacked Worker, Says ‘Commission Doesn’t Take Directive From Any Person’
Aiyedatiwa had in a letter signed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Kayode Ajulo, to Kedehinbu ordered the reinstatement of the civil servant who was unjustly sacked in 2020.
Ajose Kudehinbu, the Chairman of the State Civil Commission in Ondo State has insisted that Temitope Adeola Fakuade, a deputy director with the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget will not be reinstated despite a directive by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Aiyedatiwa had in a letter signed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Kayode Ajulo, to Kedehinbu ordered the reinstatement of the civil servant who was unjustly sacked in 2020.
Part of the letter dated 19th of August 2024 had read, “After a holistic appraisal of the circumstances that led to the officer being retired compulsory from Service, this office recommended to Mr. Governor that the officer be reinstated to his position and all his entitlement be paid as the allegation levied against the officer that led to his compulsory retirement were found to be unfounded in Law.
“Consequently, this office conveyed the recommendations to Mr. Governor vide a letter dated 20th September, 2024 and which recommendations had been graciously approved by Mr. Governor (photocopy of letter conveying the approval of Mr. Governor attached).
“In the light of the above, the officer in question, Mr. Fakuade Temitope Adeola, Deputy Director (Planning GL. 15), Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Ondo State should be reinstated to his position immediately with all his entitlements paid in line with the approval granted by Mr. Governor.”
However, Kudehinbu in response to the Governor’s directive through the Attorney General insisted that the commission won’t reinstate Fakuade as it is “not to be subjected to the direction and control of any other authority or persons.”
“Fakuade was disciplined by the Civil Service Commission within the ambit of the Civil Service Rules and Regulations. In doing so, the Commission, by virtue of section 8 of the Civil Service Commission Law shall not be subject to the direction and control of any other authority or persons,” Kudehinbu said in a letter dated 25th of October, 2024.
“Thus, a review of any decision taken by the Commission rests, on appeal, with the Commission, itself.”
Angered by the response of the commission’s chairman, SaharaReporters learnt that the Attorney General in another letter dated November 28th insisted the governor’s directive must be obeyed.
The letter read, “I am constrained to put it on record that I am disturbed by the content of paragraph 4 of your letter under reference wherein section 8 of the Civil Service Commission Law was quoted to the effect that the Commission Law should not be subjected to the directive and control of any other authority or persons.
“Section 126 (1) (2) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended makes the Governor the Chief Executive Officer of the State and as such has executive power over all issues concerning the affairs of the State including that of the State Civil Service Commission and who in the first place appointed you and has the power to hire and fire.
“Mr. Chairman, by the tone of the content of the paragraph 4 of the said letter, are you inferring that even if the court should give a decision is not binding on the Commission? This kind of mentality will obviously not do our constitutional democracy any good.
“This office is representing the Commission and Ondo State Government in the matter in court and the court was duly informed of the effort being made to resolve the matter out of court and hence the adjournments granted by the court for the parties to settle their differences and file their terms of settlement in court. Photocopies of the court proceeding are attached.
“It is suffice to say that the approval granted by Mr. Governor will provide the Commission the opportunity to do the needful by reinstating the officer and allow the terms of settlement to be prepared and filed in court before the next date which is 4th November, 2024.
“In the light of the above, I will appreciate if your commission will kindly comply with the directive of Mr. Governor by reinstating the officer to his position in order to avoid any unpalatable consequence from court to the Ondo State Government.”
Despite the second letter to Kudehinbu, multiple sources told SaharaReporters that Fakuade is yet to be reinstated as the commission chairman insisted he would not follow Governor Aiyedatiwa’s order.
“Till this moment, I know he’s yet to be reinstated. The chairman of the commission despite letters from the Justice commissioner insisted that what ever decision the commission makes on any matter is final and no authority or person can change it, not even Governor Aiyedatiwa,” one of the sources said.
“His stance on the reinstatement is an affront to the office of the executive governor and his person.
“Sadly, the commission whose its main mandate is to instill discipline, protect the sanctity and integrity of the system, is head-bent championing impunity and corruption.”
Calls put across to Kudehinbu were not picked nor returned.
Fakuade had while speaking to SaharaReporters in 2020 narrated how he was harassed and victimised by the former Commissioner for Works, Saka Yusuf Ogunleye; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth Development and Sports, Dupe Eshofonie; and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Bumi Alade.
“I was the assistant director, Ministry of Youth Development and Sports before I was posted by the Service Matters Department of the Head of Service to the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Ondo State on 17th June 2019. In the said letter of posting, the permanent secretary was directed to assign duty to me within the ministry.
“The permanent secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Bumi Alade did not accept me in the ministry. As a result of this, I forwarded a letter to the office of the Permanent Secretary complaining about his refusal to accept me in line with the letter of posting from the Service Matters Department of the Head of Service.
“To my utmost surprise, I received a query from the permanent secretary, Economic Planning and Budget accusing me of gross misconduct for not honouring posting instruction.
“I responded adequately to the query intimating them of the fact that I reported in line with the posting instruction to the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget but was not assigned duty and accepted.
“Though, the failure to accept me was not unconnected to the fact that I declined that Mr Bumi Alade should not intervene in a personal issue that I have with one Mr Adamu Monday as he pleaded to intervene. He claimed I have dis-honoured him by doing so. I immediately reported this ugly incident to the Head of Service in my representation dated 16/9/2019 which was also copied the Civil Service Commission, Ondo State, the Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress and the Chairman, Nigeria Civil Service Union.
“It was regrettably said, that rather than treating and addressing my complaint, I was greeted with a letter of suspension by the commission which letter is dated 24/10/2019 without the commission inviting me for any investigation on all allegations levelled against me in the suspension letter except the issue of financial embarrassment. I copiously informed the commission, which they agreed with me, that it was a personal matter and not a civil service issue. More so, that the matter is before the competent court of law.
“In the said letter of suspension, the allegations levelled against me are (i) disobedience to lawful orders/instructions (ii) absence from duty without leave (iii) insubordination: and (iv) financial embarrassment. None of those allegations can be proved against me neither was I invited to explain my side of the issue at the commission before I was suspended save for the financial embarrassment aspect which I was cleared of.
“My salary and other emoluments have been withheld. The pains and agonies that this injustice caused me are becoming too excessive. This is the height of victimization, discrimination and inhuman treatment being meted out on me since 2014.”
