A Labour Party (LP) chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, has reacted to claims of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, that the appointment of a minister of state is an aberration and unconstitutional.

This was stated by Keyamo on Wednesday, during the final Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House in Abuja, which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

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In the past eight years, the majority of his colleagues have been made redundant, according to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who added that other ministers of state lack the courage to voice out.

Keyamo asserted that it was challenging to evaluate the individual performance of ministers of state due to their subservience to senior ministers.

He bemoaned the fact that a minister of state's original proposals are typically subject to approval by another Cabinet colleague before being considered by Council.

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In response, Kenneth Okonkwo stated that Keyamo is correct in emphasizing that it is discriminatory to grant any state the position as opposed to providing each state with a substantive Minister.

He noted, however, that it was improper for Keyamo to have collected salaries and perks associated with the position and retained it until the last FEC meeting.

Kenneth added that the SAN is an accomplice in the illicit activity and should therefore return all salaries and perks received during his tenure.

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He said;

My Learned Colleague, Festus Keyamo SAN, was very correct when he stated that the post of Minister of State is unconstitutional. I can even take it further to say that it is discriminatory to give any state the position as against the provision of  substantive Minister for each state.

“However, he was very wrong to have collected salaries, and emoluments pertaining to the post and held on to it until the last meeting of FEC before saying this, and this makes him an accomplice to the illegality.

“He should therefore purge himself of this intentional act of illegality by refunding all the salary and emoluments received throughout his tenure. He should immediately resign the appointment and disavow perpetually the position. This is how men of honour behave”