ABU illegal termination of appointments: Appeal Court to hear suit Nov. 21
The Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday fixed Nov. 21 to hear a motion filed by 110 disengaged lecturers of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to entertain an appeal filed by the school. The school is appealing a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, that ordered it to pay N2.6 […]
The Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday fixed Nov. 21 to hear a motion filed by 110 disengaged lecturers of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to entertain an appeal filed by the school.
The school is appealing a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, that ordered it to pay N2.6 billion to the 110 members of staff, whose appointments were terminated in 1999.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the disengaged staff, Mr Femi Adedeji, told the court that the matter was for hearing of their motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court.
He, however, said that he was surprised that ABU’s counsel, Mr Aliemeke Ewere was absent in court.
The panel of three justices adjourned the matter until Nov. 21 to hear the motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the 110 respondents, made up of academic and non-academic staff, in 2013, instituted a suit to challenge the alleged illegal termination of their appointments by the university authority.
They averred that they had variously served the institution for over 20 years without blemish, before the unlawful termination.
The claimants joined the Minister of Education, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice as defendants in the suit.
The National Industrial Court gave judgment in their favour and ordered the management of ABU to pay N2.6 billion to them for illegally terminating their appointment in 1996.
The court also ordered the university to immediately reinstate them.
Lifu held that the purported termination was illegal, null, void and of no effect.
The school, not satisfied with the judgment, went on appeal.(NAN)