Osun judge calls for Gov Aregbesola to be impeached over his inability to pay salaries

OSUN State judge Justice Oloyede Folahanmi has asked the state house of assembly to investigate Governor Rauf Aregbesola over his mismanagement of public resources and impeach him if found guilty.

 

Currently owing its civil servants seven months' salary arrears, Osun State is in the grip of a financial crisis as its outgoings far exceed its income. Like about half of Nigeria's states, Osun has no hope of clearing its salary arrears as the fail in oil prices has led to a reduction in the federal allocation, making its situation precarious.

 

Already, labour unions are planning industrial action over the arrears and yesterday, Justice Folahanmi added his voice to the debate, calling on the Osun State House of Assembly to investigate the alleged mismanagement of the state’s financial resources by Governor Aregbesola and his deputy in accordance with Sections 128 and 129 of the 1999 constitution. He argued that there is no moral justification for their continued stay in office.

 

In a 30-page petition, Justice Folahanmi urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, Amnesty International, Transparency International among others, to investigate any other person found to be responsible for what he described as the deliberate mismanagement of the economy of Osun State. He further accused Governor Aregbesola of acting in defiance of some sections of the constitution which bordered on the welfare of Osun indigenes.

 

His petition read: ‘’I am propelled by the desire to see the pains of my fellow human beings ameliorated and to possibly, help take away the reproach of our state as a bankrupt and a failed state and the desire to join hands with other like minds to help salvage the sinking ship of Osun State. I declare that in addition to the media-hype of Osun’s parlous financial condition, I have firsthand experience which constitutes evidence of the unfortunate situation in which Osun currently finds herself.

 

"Even Mr Governor has admitted publicly the fact that Osun is in a financial quagmire and that he is clueless on how to pull her out of the doldrums. Mr Governor’s argument that salaries can only be paid from statutory allocations is also faulty and we demand that he substantiate his claim by giving the section of the law that so provides."

 

According to Justice Folahanmi, the admitted inability of Governor Aregbesola and his deputy to pay pensions, salaries and allowances for periods ranging from eight to 11 months is a consequence of their own decision to accumulate debts beyond the capacity of the state’s internally generated revenue. He added that the governor and his deputy continue to enjoy their security allowances in hundreds of millions, despite this, which is a violation of their oaths of office.

 

"Their action in this respect is as illegal as it is immoral and unconscionable and is evidence of their inability to discharge the functions of their office. There is therefore no legal or moral basis for their continued stay in office.

 

"Neglecting the welfare of members of the community under the guise of wanting to provide infrastructure, runs contrary to the teachings of Christ, the son of God, Jesus of Nazareth. The provision of infrastructures at the expense of human lives and the dignity of man is therefore repugnant to natural justice, equity, and good conscience and must be denounced as abominable and it contradicts Principle One of the Stockholm Conference," Justice Folahanmi added.