The Ekiti State Government is obligated to pay Alhaji Dr. Sikiru Tae Lawal all unpaid entitlements, including his monthly stipend, severance allowance, gratuity, and other benefits due to him under state law, according to a ruling by the National Industrial Court in Abuja. The court also awarded him additional damages of N10 million.
It should be remembered that Alhaji Dr Sikiru Tae Lawal served as Segun Oni’s deputy governor in October 2010 until Kayode Fayemi was placed as governor after the Court of Appeal annulled their election.
Since he was not impeached, Lawal claimed he was never paid his post-employment benefits. He insisted that he was left out while Oni had his own benefits.
The non-payment was deemed unlawful under the Ekiti State Pensions Law, 2012, as revised in 2014 and 2015, according to Lawal’s attorney, Adeboro Adamson (SAN).
Along with the state administration, he filed a lawsuit against the governor, AG, and Commissioner for Justice of Ekiti State.
He sued the government at Abuja’s National Industrial Court, seeking, among other things, a declaration that the state’s withholding of his pension, severance, monthly stipends, and arrears violated his rights as an employee and an order requiring the government to determine and pay all arrears beginning on October 15, 2010, and general damages in the amount of N100 million.
During the hearings at the Industrial Court, Gbemiga Adaramola, Lawal’s counsel, contended that his client should not get benefits as his election to office on October 15, 2010, had been invalidated by the Court of Appeal in Ilorin. Neither discrimination against Lawal nor payment of Oni’s pension was disputed by the government.
But Justice E.D. Subilim rejected the state’s arguments and wrote that it was “unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional, and unjustifiable” to deny Lawal his entitlements.
With arrears dating back to October 15, 2010, the court ordered the Ekiti State Government to promptly calculate and pay all overdue benefits owed to Lawal.
The National Industrial Court continued by ordering the execution of all future payments in accordance with the law and the payment of 10% interest annually on the total judgement amount until it is completely paid off.