The crisis between communications minister, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, and his former personal assistant, Hon. Razaq Olubodun is not yet over as they have continued engage themselves in war of words over allegation of 23-month outstanding salaries.
While the Minister claimed he is not owing his former aide, Olubodun urged him to stop embarrassing the people of Oyo State with lies over the 23-month unpaid salary the minister owes him.
He said the minister never paid him for the 23 months he used with him, whereas the federal government pays his salaries along with the minister’s monthly salary.
Shittu, had on a private radio station in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, claimed he had paid his estranged aide off, saying that he does not owe him a penny.
Olubodun who stated this in a press statement in Ibadan on Thursday urged the minister to desist from embarrassing himself and the good people of Oyo State.
He noted that after several efforts, the minister only sent the sum of one million naira to his account out of over ten million naira which include his basic salaries and other allowances for the period of 23 months.
He said it was a misrepresentation of facts that the minister said he had paid him off, noting that his real salaries and other benefits are ten million and three hundred thousand Naira (N10.3m) for the period.
The former aide who said though he had decided not to join issues with the minister, said the statement credited to the minister while featuring on a live radio program in Ibadan “does not only smark mischief and sincerity but misrepresentation of fact.”
He said “My attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Honourable Minister for Communications, Barrister Abdul-Raheem Shittu regarding the non-payment of my salary and allowances for twenty three months (23) while serving as his Personal Assistant.
“The statement made by the Honorable Minister while fielding questions on a radio program (Fresh FM) monitored on the 4th of November 2017, not only smart mischief and sincerity but misinterpretation.
“I have decided before now, not to join issues with the Minister in the media out of respect for some important and influential people and the respect for the exalted office of the Honorable Minister of the federal republic of Nigeria.
“However, since the Minister has decided to dance naked in the market square by making that statement, probably for image laundering and damage control, I have no choice than to join issue with him in the media at least for the purpose of clarification and putting the record straight, before the people of Oyo State which we both represent and the Nigerian people in general.
“Firstly, the issue for determination without controversy are as follows:
“That, is it true that the minister refused to pay my salary and allowances for the twenty –three months? (Nov. 2015to October 2017).
“That is it true that my salary and allowances is appropriated along with that of the minister by the National Assembly, in the budget and is being paid into the Minister’s account for unward payment to me?
“That is it true that my salary and allowances are being paid with along with that of the minister accordingly for the period of that twenty-three (23) months as at when due?
“That, where is the minister keeping the money for that period?
“That, is it true that I have send people to him to plead on my behalf for the payment of my salary and allowances before the matter degenerated to this level?
“That is it true that, it was after I tendered my resignation letter, consequent upon my lawyer’s letter to him, the same day; 9th October 2017, that he has to quickly pay the sum of 1,000,000=00 (One million naira only) into my account on the 11th of October 2017”.
Olubodun noted that “These are the questions the minister would have to answer before a successful image laundering and damage control could be achieved in this salary scandal”.
“I will also use this opportunity to advise the minister to stop embarrassing the people of Oyo state who are very intelligent and politically sophisticated and who he represent with these needless and endless scandal at all times.
“Last time, it was the issue of Post Master General, now it is salary saga and non-payment of a contractor duly hired to do a job for you. I can go on and on.
“The above scenario smark off wickedness, inhumanity,, ungodliness, heartlessness, planleness and lack of organization on the part of the minister.”
