By Muhammad Mamman
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed Kogi State’s attempt to challenge a N1 billion entitlement award to former Deputy Governor Simon Achuba, affirming its ruling as final under Nigeria’s constitution and slamming the state’s appeal as “reckless” and “baseless.”
A three-judge panel, led by Justice Okon Abang, on Tuesday rejected an application by Governor Usman Ododo and the state’s Attorney-General to stay execution of prior judgments favoring Achuba.
Citing Section 243(4) of the constitution, Abang declared the court’s decision on labor disputes final, warning that defying court orders risks “eroding public confidence” and fostering “anarchy.
” The panel, including Justices Hamma Barka and Oyejoju Oyewumi, also sanctioned Kogi’s lead counsel, Adedayo Adedeji, ordering him to pay N3 million in costs for pursuing a “frivolous” appeal.
Achuba, ousted in 2019 after a fallout with then-Governor Yahaya Bello, won N180 million in unpaid benefits at the National Industrial Court in 2020.
The Court of Appeal later upheld his claims, awarding over N1 billion in salaries, allowances, and statutory allocations for 2017 and 2018, plus N2 million in costs. Kogi disputed the increase, claiming it paid the original sum, but the court dismissed the state’s push for Supreme Court review as an act of “executive lawlessness.”
