A Nasarawa State High Court sitting in Akwanga on Friday, August 7, 2020, voided the sacking of the immediate past Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government, Ahmed Aliyu Tijani.
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly had directed Governor Abdullahi Sule to relieve the former SSG of his appointment over alleged N284.5 million unaccounted school projects fund when he served as Commissioner of Education in the state.
Consequently, Governor Sule relieved the immediate past SSG of his appointment and subsequently appointed Aliyu Mohammed Ubandoma as the new SSG.
But the state High Court sitting in Akwanga, headquarters of Akwanga Local Government Area of the state, presided over by Justice Mustapha Ramat, voided the recommendation by the Nasarawa State House Assembly for the sack of the erstwhile SSG.
This was even as the court also voided the recommendation by the state assembly that the former SSG refund over N200 million reported having allegedly unaccounted for as school projects funds when he held sway as commissioner for education in the state.
Justice Ramat who based his judgement on fair hearing, ruled that Ahmed Aliyu Tijani was not given fair hearing by members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly hence violating his fundamental human rights when deciding on allegations against him.
“The court reconsizes the provision of the constitution that gave the governor the power to hire and fire, but the former SSG was not given fair hearing by the House of Assembly,” Justice Ramat stated.
Reacting to the judgement, counsel to the plaintiff, Shikamma Kassam Sheltu, appreciated the judgement that the most important thing was that the court has voided the erstwhile SSG’s removal as well as voiding his payment of over N200 million into the coffers of the Nasarawa State government.
However, counsel to the defendants, Isaac Edoh, said the relieve of the former SSG by the state High Court was based on section 208 (1, 2 & 5) of the 1999 constitution that the appointment and removal is based on the pleasure of the governor, which was what the judge did.
