Ondo State Deputy Governor Drags Governor Mimiko To Court

 Ali Olanusi, Ondo State Deputy Governor, yesterday dragged Governor Olusegun Mimiko to State High Court sitting in Akure for alleged stopping his allowances and benefits.

According to Daily Sun, Olanusi is seeking an order of the court restraining Mimiko from stopping his allowances and salary of his aides.

Oluwole Kehinde, Olanusi’s counsel, insisted that the deputy governor is still constitutionally empowered to enjoy all his allowances and benefits, adding that any attempt to deny him his constitutional rights contravened the constitution. 

He averred that the deputy governor and his aides were entitled to their monthly salaries, allowances and other entitlements as provided by the constitution and other laws guiding the office he occupies.

It is worth mentioning, there has been tension between the two politicians over the defection of the deputy governor from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Shortly after that, Mimiko took the decision to witch-hunt all those who are loyal to Olanusi because of his defection. He allegedly gave a directive to stop the salaries and allowances of all political aides of the deputy governor. 

It was learnt that the governor had given an order to Isaac Eke, the Commissioner of Police, to withdraw all the deputy governor’s security aides and also prevent him from having access to his official vehicles.

Some members of the PDP in the state have recently called for the impeachment of the deputy governor for defecting to the APC.

Meanwile, Justice Sanmi Isaq, who presided the court, ordered that the respondents should be put on notice. He said all the respondents, including Mimiko, Isaac Eke and the state Director of the Department of State Security should be served with the notice. According to the Nation, the case has been adjourned till April 23.