Former Liverpool City Council chief executive John Ajaka sues for ‘unlawful termination’

Ex-state MP John Ajaka has launched legal action against Liverpool City Council, claiming it unlawfully sacked him as CEO after he allegedly told the mayor to “shut the f--k up”.

Former Liverpool CEO John Ajaka. Picture: Troy Snook

Former Liverpool City Council chief executive John Ajaka has launched legal action against the council, claiming he was unlawfully sacked.

The former state MP lodged an application in the Federal Circuit Court last month, alleging unlawful termination of employment, more than three months after being axed by the council.

He has also filed a claim, the nature of which is yet to be confirmed, against the council in the Land and Environment Court.

Liverpool City Council meeting minutes show councillors resolved, during a confidential session, to direct acting chief executive Jason Breton to defend the claims and delegate the authority to Mr Breton to “settle the proceedings after receiving legal advice”.

Mr Ajaka was initially stood down with pay in April, after he allegedly told Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun to “shut the f--k up” during a budget meeting with deputy mayor Fiona Macnaught and director of corporate support Farooq Portelli.

Former Liverpool chief executive officer, John Ajaka.

Mr Breton, the council’s director of operations, was appointed as the acting chief executive in the interim.

Mr Ajaka’s position was later terminated, effective immediately, during a confidential meeting in May.

Councillors subsequently voted for Mr Breton to continue as acting chief executive, with Mr Mannoun casting the deciding vote after the other 10 members of the council were deadlocked.

Liverpool mayor Ned Mannoun. Picture: Monique Harmer

Labor councillors Betty Green and Charishma Kaliyanda, along with independent councillors Peter Harle and Karress Rhodes, unsuccessfully attempted to stop Mr Ajaka being sacked before the Office of Local Government’s report into the “fractured relationship” between councillors and staff was presented to the council.

The council has been embroiled in controversy, which almost delayed Saturday’s local government election, in recent months.

It battled Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig in the Land and Environment Court after he signalled his intention to suspend councillors and delay the weekend’s poll, following the publication of an interim report which contained allegations of corruption and bullying within the council.

Justice John Robson rejected the majority of the case the council brought against Mr Hoenig and Office of Local Government deputy secretary Brett Whitworth, including an allegation they exhibited bias by publishing the interim report.

However, the judge upheld a claim that Mr Whitworth had failed to afford procedural fairness by publishing the document prior to a public inquiry into the council.

Justice Robson’s decision left the door open for Mr Hoenig to follow through on his plans to suspend councillors and delay the election.

However, after the council launched an eleventh-hour appeal last week, the election will go ahead, with commissioner Ross Glover set to conduct a public inquiry after constituents have cast their votes.

A Liverpool City Council spokesman confirmed councillors had resolved to direct Mr Breton to defend Mr Ajaka’s claims.

When attempts were made to contact Mr Ajaka’s lawyers, this masthead was told no one was available to speak on the matter.