Workers in Ondo State have called for the resignation of a public servant occupying two seats in the state.
A petition addressed to the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission in Ondo State, Mr Femi Idris, decried what it described as a constitutional breach arising from simultaneous occupation of dual public offices by Mr Bola Taiwo as President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ondo State Chapter, being a staff of Akure South Local Government and full time member, Ondo State Local Government Service Commission.
The petitioners demanded immediate resignation from the office and the refund of salaries, entitlements and benefits accruing to the two offices to the coffers of NULGE and the Ondo State Government.
Insisting that Taiwo ought to have resigned as NULGE President after accepting to serve as a commissioner in the Ondo State Local Government Service Commission, the petition signed by a counsel, Otunba Henry Orumen, recalls how Taiwo emerged, four years ago in 2019, as the President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Ondo State chapter for a period of four years and his tenure terminated recently after running its full course of four years.
Orumen stated: “Recall also that while you subsisted as the NULGE President, Ondo State chapter, you took full time appointment as a Commissioner in the Ondo State Local Government Service Commission without first resigning as President of Ondo State NULGE.”
Taiwo was also accused of failing, refusing, and / or neglecting to take a cue from his predecessor in NULGE, Ondo State presidency – Dr. Bunmi Eniayewu “who promptly resigned when he was elevated to the position of a permanent secretary”.
The petition reads further: “While everyone was watching you to do the needful, you threw caution to the wind and took the benefits of both offices with impunity that smacks of a violent breach of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
“Be it noted, sir, that as a human being, you cannot short circuit nature by being in two places at the same time, and you can not expectedly eat your cake and still have it.”
The petitioners gave Taiwo an ultimatum to resign from office as Commissioner, Ondo State Local Government Service Commission as well as make immediate refund of all salaries, entitlements and benefits that he collected from both offices to date to the coffers of the NULGE and Ondo State Government.
After the ultimatum that elapsed on November 7, 2023, Orumen warned that if Taiwo fails to heed “this simple and harmless demand,” he would face public interest litigation seeking to compel the anti-graft agencies to investigate him for corrupt practices that flies in the face of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
