Bello carpets judiciary for politicising workers audit

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has described the lawsuit filed against his administration by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) over alleged non-payment of their salaries as politically motivated.

The governor, in a state broadcast at the weekend, said he was not surprised by the timing of the case, considering the season and the politicisation of institutions.

It would be recalled that a running battle between the executive and judiciary resulted in a suit filed against Bello and the Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Nasiru Ajanah before the National Industrial Court sitting in Lokoja by the union.

The union instituted the lawsuit to get justice over non-remittance of funds due to the state judiciary.

The union has been on strike since December last year over accumulated salary arrears of eight months.

Bello said: “I have pleaded unsuccessfully with them for months on the need to spare their innocent members the unnecessary trauma.

The Kogi State House of Assembly has also tried to intervene only to be stopped by injunction from the Judiciary, curiously obtained while courts claimed to be on strike.

“I have petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria to intervene since November last year, but we are yet to receive any feedback.”
He said he was however happy that the Chief Judge of Kogi State was also joined in the suit by JUSUN.