Minister’s Aide Resigns Over Unpaid Salary
Few months after the Chief of Staff, Binuyo Ipoola, and Special Adviser on Special Duties, Abiodun Oyaremi, resigned their appointments, another aide of communications minister, Adebayo Shittu, Rasaq Olubodun, has resigned as his personal assistant.
Olubodun, who hails from Saki West local government area of Oyo State like the minister, is allegedly owed 23-month accumulated salary.
Sources revealed that most of the minister’s aides have not received any salary since they resumed office. Almost 6 of the minister’s aides are said to have resigned.
Though Binuyo was appointed directly by Shittu and was supposed to be paid personally, Olubodun’s monthly salary of N41, 000 and other entitlements was supposed to be removed from the minister’s monthly salary as it is added together with Shittu’s monthly take home.
Binuyo, a former lawmaker in Osun, who left a job as Governor Aregbesola’s aide had to be taken to the state helmsman, for reconsideration
Oyaremi, who was the acting chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, group, was said to have ‘stay away from work when things were becoming unbearable.’
It was also gathered that the duo of his media aides -Victor Oluwadamilare and Toyese Oladejo ‘live on handouts’ from the friends they have been able to make, in Abuja.
Olubodun, who was a personal assistant and later special adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi, alleged that he did not receive a salary for the 23 months he worked with Shittu, his kinsman.
Writing through his lawyer, Olubodun demanded payment of his 23-month salary arrears and other entitlements running to over N10m from Shittu, who was once a lawmaker and commissioner for justice in the. State.
Olubodun, who is now into auto business, said he would have loved the matter to be settled ‘silently’ but proved abortive.
He explained that intervention by elders of their hometown to convene a meeting between him and Shittu ended in stalemate.
According to him: “The intervention of some elders from Saki did not yield any positive result as a meeting convened at the Minister’s house in Aerodrome Estate, Samonda, Ibadan, to reconcile us ended in shouting match.
One of his aides, who is also said to be considering resignation, was quoted as saying that it was unfortunate that he opted to work with him.
Efforts to get Shittu’s media adviser, Oluwadamilaren to react to the matter proved abortive as calls put through to his lines were unsuccessful.
But Oladejo, who confirmed Olubodun’s resignation, described the resignation as just a political affair between the duo.