Gov Oyetola suspends teacher for comments in favour of Aregbesola faction on Facebook

Ilesanmi AdekanbiDecember 22, 2021

2 minutes read

Osun State governor, Adeboyega Oyetola has suspended a teacher of Masifa Community Grammar School, Ejigbo, Mr Akinyemi Philip, indefinitely over political comments on Facebook.

Newsflash Nigeria understands that the teacher was suspended for posting comments and pictures in favour of The Osun Progressives (TOP), a faction of the former governor of the state, Rauf Aregbesola under the same party where the governor belongs, the All progressives Congress (APC).

According to the finding, The Osun Progressives (TOP) are believed to be a faction of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola while State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, belongs to another faction called IleriOluwa.

Some TOP leaders recently showed interest in contesting against Oyetola for the governorship ticket of APC in 2022.

Officials of the Osun State Government confirmed the authenticity of the letters to our correspondent on Wednesday.

In the suspension letter, the teacher was alleged to have breached the state’s Civil Service Rule.

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Akinyemi, who was queried earlier on December 8 for “disrespecting” the governor on Facebook, was one of the witnesses for APC at the election tribunal in 2019 during the case between Oyetola and the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ademola Adeleke.

A copy of his suspension letter dated December 20, 2021, and signed by E. O. Onatola, read, “I am directed to inform you that as a result of your actions of professional misconduct and abuse of Office, your actions created public assault to the authority concerned.

“The Ministry of Education/Osun West Education District Office came up with the following decisions:

“It is a fact that you Mr. AKINYEMI PHILIP a teacher of Masifa Community Grammar, Ejigbo. You are more focused on partisan politics than your duty as a teacher and commitment to the State Government as a Civil Servant in Osun State.

“Your unpatriotic behavior, abusive and provocative postings and comments on social media are against the Civil Service rule. Unless contacted beforehand, you are not permitted to enter the school premises.”

When our correspondent visited Akinyemi’s Facebook page, it was observed that the teacher, who is a staunch member of APC, had posts promoting TOP.

He also declared his support for former Osun Speaker, who is aspiring to be a governor in 2022, Najeem Salaam, in one of his posts.

Part of the query letter read, “Your postings and comments on social media for some time have been inciting and has shown that you have derailed from what you were employed to do as a teacher. You are more focused on partisan politics than your duty as a teacher and commitment to the State Government as a Civil Servant in Osun State.

“Your comments and postings have shown a great disrespect to State Government and the Governor that is committed to a regular payment of wages and salaries.”