By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
Kogi state government has proceeded to the apex court in Abuja to seek clarification on the claims due to former deputy governor of Kogi state, Elder Simon Achuba.
The Kogi state government said the trial court, that is, the Industrial Court, had earlier awarded the cost of N180m to the former deputy governor.
The Government through its counsel O. Adegboyega contends that the substantial sum ordered by the Court of Appeal for unpaid salaries, allowances, and statutory entitlements, allegedly from the state’s approved budgets for 2017 and 2018, was not contained in any previous judgment delivered by the National Industrial Court (NIC).
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, in a unanimous ruling on Friday, April 25, 2025, had ordered the payment to Achuba, stating it was for the enforcement of an earlier judgment delivered in his favour on April 29, 2024.
This earlier judgment had affirmed Achuba’s entitlement to full remuneration as deputy governor.
However, the Kogi State Government maintains that when approached for payment following the April 29, 2024, judgment, it was informed that no such directive for the specific N1.07 billion amount existed within the court’s ruling.
Legal representatives for the Kogi State Government argue that the National Industrial Court, which has primary jurisdiction over labor and employment matters, had previously delivered a judgment on November 4, 2020, ordering the state to pay Achuba N180 million for outstanding security votes from April 2018 to August 2019. The state complied with this order.
The current appeal to the Supreme Court seeks to clarify the basis for the significantly increased award and to ensure that the judgment sum aligns with the pronouncements of the National Industrial Court, which initially heard the dispute regarding Achuba’s entitlements. “The State Government is resolute in its commitment to due process and the rule of law”
The certified true copy (CTC) of the said judgement as obtained by The Guardian in Lokoja however indicated that “The court having delivered it’s ruling in the open court, it’s reasoning and conclusion are as contained in the body of the ruling.
The Certified True Copy (CTC) signed by Josephine Ekperobe Deputy Chief Registrar reads, “And the court having held that it is deserving to grant the application is hereby ordered that the respondent shall pay the applicant his monthly salaries traveling allowances and statutory allocation due to him as provided for the 2017, 2018 budget of Kogi state government by virtue of the judgement of this court differently constituted in appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/30/2021 dated 29/04/2024
“That the respondent shall pay the applicant Elder Simon Achuba a one time deputy governor of Kogi state the sum of 1,0,070,860,138.00 being his
monthly salaries, traveling allowances and statutory allocation due to him as provided for the 2017, 2018 budget of Kogi state government by virtue of the judgement of this court differently constituted in appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/30/2021 dated 29/04/2024.
“That the trial court shall enforce the judgement of this court delivered on 29/4/2024 in appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/30/2021 dated 29/04/2024 that held that the applicant is entitled to the payment of monthly salaries, traveling allowances and statutory allocation due to him as provided for the 2017, 2018 budget of Kogi state which amount to N1,079,860,138,00
“Cost of N2 million is hereby awarded in favor of the applicant payble by the respondence forthwith”
By the current appeal by the Kogi state government to Supreme court, it is left for the court to decide whether the cost awarded the former deputy governor Elder Simon Achuba is N180 million or N1,070,860,138,00.
