Court orders Kogi govt to pay ex-deputy governor N180m

Former deputy governor, Simon Achuba

The National Industrial Court has ordered the Kogi State Government to pay the former deputy governor, Simon Achuba, the sum of N180 million.

The judgment was read on Wednesday by Justice Oyebiola Oyewunmi in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

According to the court, the sum of N180million will be paid to Achuba as outstanding security votes due to him from April 2018 to August 2019.

The amount is to be paid to Achuba by the state government within the period of 30 days or 30% interest will be paid monthly.

The court, however, dismissed the former deputy governor’s prayers, asking that the sum of N328million and N32,000 be paid as part of impress when he was in government.

Achuba, had earlier taken the Kogi State government before the National Industrial Court, seeking a declaration that the decision of the government to withhold his allowances, amounted to unfair labour practice.

He asked for the sum of N921,572,758 for security vote, monthly impress, traveling allowances, outstanding memos, and statutory allocations due to his office, as then deputy governor.

Achuba was impeached in October 2019 by members of the Kogi State House of Assembly.

His impeachment followed the submission of a report of the committee set up by the State Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajana, to investigate an allegation of gross misconduct against the former deputy governor. (Channels TV)