APC sues Gov Adeleke for appointing self as commissioner

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has sued Governor Ademola Adeleke for appointing himself as the Commissioner for Works.

The party in the suit filed at the State High Court in Osogbo, also sued the governor’s deputy, Kola Adewusi, for his appointment as the Commissioner for Sports and Special Needs.

Governor Adeleke had on July 19, announced his appointment and that of his deputy.

Objecting the appointments through its lawyer, Sherif Oluyombo, the main opposition party urged the court to determine whether a sitting governor can hold any other executive office.

Referencing Section 192(2) and (5) of the Nigerian constitution, the plaintiff prayed the court to determine whether “a person can be validly appointed a commissioner of the government of a state if his nomination is not forwarded to and received by the State’s House of Assembly for purposes of confirmation.”

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This is not the first time that elected officials have held dual roles.

Newspot recalls that the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari had in 2015 appointed himself the petroleum minister and Ibe Kachikwu as the minister of state for petroleum and later Timipre Sylva in his second term without objection from his party members.

The outcome of the matter may also prevent president Tinubu from serving in a ministerial capacity should the court illegalise elected officials from having double appointments.