Justice Sanga Bitrus of the Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin has affirmed the judgement of National Industrial Court, annulling the sack of Professor Abdulraheem Yusuf as Provost of College of Education, Ilorin, Kwara State.
The judge, in his ruling said, the ouster of the Provost contravened the provision of section 26 of the institution’s law that the state governor lack the absolute power to remove the College’s provost without resort to fair hearing which is part of his fundamental human rights.
The appellant court further held the provost’s removal was punitive as the governor cannot removed the embattled administrator “on his whims and caprices.”
The judge, however, ruled that since the embattled provost’s 5-year tenure ends on May 1, 2023, all his consolidated salaries and emoluments be paid to him, stating that the order for reinstatement as earlier granted by the National Industrial Court maybe difficult to comply with.
According to Justice Bitrus, the alternative relief of the embattled provost would see him earn Seventeen Million Two Hundred and Thirty Eight Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety Six Naira and Eighty One Kobo (N17,238,898.81) in accrued salaries, emoluments and severance package from May 21, 2021 to May 1, 2023.
The court also granted the cost of N200,000 against the respondent in addition to the N300,000 cost previously granted by the trial court, taking the total outstanding cost to N500,000.
Speaking on behalf of the lead counsel, HG Mahmoud, however, expressed optimism that the state government would abide by the judgement of the court.
