The absence of a witness in a suit of alleged unpaid allowance filed by the former deputy governor of Kogi, Simon Achuba, against Governor Yahaya Bello in a National Industrial Court, was on Monday stalled.
The matter which was slated for the defence had to be adjourned when the defence counsel, M.B. Kadiri informed the court that the defence’s sole witness was currently indisposed and hospitalised.
The counsel further said the witness was the only one the defence intended to put on the witness stand and his absence, hence had necessitated him to apply for a short adjournment.
The claimant’s counsel, Samuel Ogala, did not object to the application.
Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi held therefore that “in view of the defence sole witness’ ll-health, the case is adjourned until March 3, for definite defence”.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that Achuba dragged Bello and the commissioner for Justice before the court over alleged non-payment of allowances.
Achuba, amongst other declaration and order, is praying the court to declare that the decision of the defendants to withhold his allowances was discriminatory and amounted to unfair labour practice.
He is also seeking for an order of the court for the payment of N921.5 million being his travel allowances, monthly impress, security votes and other statutory allocations due to his office as the deputy governor of Kogi.
Achuba was the deputy governor of the state until his impeachment by the State House of Assembly on Oct. 18, 2019.
[NAN]
