Date: 2017-04-29

The Supreme Court has ordered that the case of 9, 024 Kwara State accredited pensioners owed N1.68 billion arrears should be heard afresh by a different judge in the Kwara State High Court, other than Justice E. B Mohammed.

Delivering the lead judgment in a unanimous decision yesterday, Justice Ejembi Eko said the case file should be remitted to the Kwara State Chief Judge for reassignment.

Other members of the panel that heard the appeal included the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen, Muss Dattijo Muhammad, Kudirat Kekere Ekun and Sidi Dauda Bage, all justices of the Supreme Court.

The appellants are the Attorney-General of Kwara State and the Governor of Kwara State while the respondents were represented by Alhaji Ishola Lawal, Prince Ayobamidele Ajibola, Usman Kasimu, Joseph Kolawole Immam Gbagba and Mrs Marian Akanbi.

The pensioners had since October 2008 approached the Kwara State High Court to claim their withheld pension and gratuity but the state government challenged their locus standi to file the suit.

The pensioners lost at the High Court and appealed to the Court of Appeal that ordered that the amount be paid within 90 days.