Sacked Adamawa commissioners demand reinstatement

By MUHAMMAD ADAM

Sacked commissioners in the Adamawa Civil Service Commission on Wednesday urged the State Government to obey a Court Order for their reinstatement.

The News  Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the affected five commissioners were appointed by the immediate past administration of Sen. Umaru Bindow on April 15, 2019, to serve a five-year tenure.

They were however removed from office on June 6, 2019, by Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri, shortly after assuming duty.

This followed the dissolution of all chairmen, members of boards, parastatals and commissions by the new administration in the state.

Addressing newsmen on behalf of his colleagues, the ex-Commissioner 1 of the commission, Mr Mohammed Mayas, said in Yola that the state government had disregard the court order for their reinstatement.

Mayas said that they challenged the Adamawa government and State House of Assembly before the National Industrial Court in Yola for illegal dissolution.

He explained that the court ruled on June 6, 2019, that their dissolution and subsequent termination of appointment of the Chairman and four commissioners had contravened the law.

He said the court held that the dissolution and/or termination of the appointments was ultra vires the powers of the governor, and therefore, unconstitutional, null and void.

Mayas quoted the court order as saying: “A declaration that the claimants as Chairman and Commissioners respectively of the Adamawa state Civil Service Commission, having been appointed by the then governor of Adamawa state, upon confirmation by the state Assembly, are entitled to a guaranteed tenure of five years.

“A declaration that by the clear provisions of Section 199(1-) (c) and 201(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the respondents cannot validly suspend, dissolve, remove or terminate the appointments of the claimants as Chairman and Commissioners of the Adamawa state Civil Service Commission.

“An order, setting aside the purported dissolution and or suspension of the appointments of the claimants as Chairman and Commissioners is null, void and of no effect.

“An order that the claimants are entitled to their salaries and allowances from 15/04/2019 to 14/04/2024 unless otherwise removed for inability to discharge the functions of their offices.”

He complained that since delivery of the judgment by Justice K.D Damulak on June 6, 2019, the state government had not recognised nor paid them their salaries or entitlements.

He listed those that instituted the suit to include himself; Shuaibu Bobbo, the ex-Chairman of the commission; Amina Kabiru, Commissioner 2; Aliyu Sadiq, Commissioner 3; and Shehu Audu, Commissioner 4.

Reacting to the development, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Afraimu Jingi, however said he was not aware about the case nor the court order.

“The claimants should go and publish the alleged Court Order, because as far as I am concern I don’t know anything about that case,” Jingi said. (NAN)