By Princely Onyenwe, Abuja
Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Olayato Aribo has upheld his appointment by the order of the court which sets aside his indictments.
A retired Permanent Secretary, Prince Ade Okiki, had dragged the state government and the House of Assembly to court over the nomination and appointment of Aribo as a commissioner by Governor Olu Akeredolu.
Justice Segun Odusola held that the CBN and Supreme Court’s indictment of Aribo over unlawful financial dealings, while he was in the banking sector, could not prevent him from holding public office because it emanated from an administrative decision of the bank and not from the law court.
Justice Odusola said the CBN indictment on which the Supreme Court based its decision to disqualify Aribo from public office emanated from an administrative indictment.
The court held that only criminal indictment and prosecution could prevent a citizen of the country from holding public office in the country saying Administrative or Board indictment is not equivalent to conviction by a law court.
Justice Odusola said the claimant was unable to prove the case of the indictment beyond reasonable cause and added that there is no impediment on the way of Aribo from being appointed as Commissioner.
Meanwhile, in the suit with No AK/224/2021 filed by Mr Tunji Oso on Okiki’s behalf, the plaintiff said the court should sack Aribo as a commissioner because he was not a fit and proper person to occupy a public office in any part of the country.
Perm Sec Okiki asked the court to determine whether Olayato Aribo who had been found guilty of fraud, dishonesty and gross misconduct and on the basis of which he was dismissed from his employment and consequently blacklisted from being employed or appointed again into any post of responsibility can be appointed and cleared as commissioner in the state.
Recall that Okike is a community leader and retired Permanent Secretary who is from the same Local Government with the Agric commissioner Ola Aribo.
Okike further argued that the commissioner should be dismissed from the service of the state as it would dent the image of the people of the council area who are known for honesty and would impugn on the integrity of the cabinet of the state government.
According to him, Aribo was dismissed from Equity Bank in 2002 for alleged gross misconduct and fraudulent transactions in the past.
He said the nominee was consequently blacklisted and adjudged as being unfit and unqualified to hold any post of responsibility for the rest of his life pursuant to a law validly enacted by the National Assembly, Bank and other financial institution act, 1991.
Aribo through his counsel, Mr F.O Umar, said the case should be dismissed because the state government, the House of Assembly and Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu did not breach any law in the appointment of Aribo.
It is an Akure High Court that quashed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Supreme Court’s indictment that barred the Ondo State commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Olayato Aribo, from holding public office.
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