Court adjourns suit against Akwa Ibom govt over alleged lopsided teachers’ recruitment 

A High court 2 sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has adjourned the suit instituted by Obollo nation challenging the state government over alleged lopsidedness in the recruitment of 1,000 primary school teachers in the state to November 10, 2022.

Obollo nation, the oil-producing local government areas in the state, which comprise seven councils of Eastern Obollo, Mbo, Ibeno, Urue Offong/Oruku, Oron, Udunguko, and Okobo, had, through their lawyer, Sunday Afiko(Esq) dragged the state government to court over perceived marginalisation in the recent recruitment exercise of secondary school teachers in the state.

In suit number HU/322/2, the defendants include the Executive Chairman, Secondary School Education Board, the Commissioner for Education, the Honorable Attorney General, Commissioner for Justice, and Akwa Ibom State Government.

Out of the 1,000 recruited teachers, four slots were allocated to Eastern Obollo, eight slots to Ibeno, 10 slots to Oron, 14 slots to Mbo and Udunguko respectively, 16 slots to Okobo, and 19 slots to Urue Offong/Oruku.

The plaintiffs’ counsel, Mr Afiko queried why the paltry slots were allotted to the Obollo nation even though it is made up of local governments that generate the money used for payment of workers.

He further queried why 79 slots will be given to Ibesikpo LGA, 65 to Onna, and 44 to Mkpat-Enin all in Ibibio nation adding that such was discriminatory and against the federal character which the state agencies and federal agencies are mandated to observe for equitable distribution of opportunities.

He prayed the court to prevail on the defendants to show the parameters used in the recruitment exercise stressing that some applicants from Obollo nation who scored as high as 90 percent were not employed even as he described as an insult to the position of the state government that the recruitment was purely on merit.

However, Justice Archibong Archibong adjourned the case to November 10th, 2022 for the next hearing.

Speaking with journalists after the court session, Afiko said, “we shall be testing the law and would also want the Higher Court to decide whether the mere allocation of quota means completion in the process of recruitment.

“The defendant ceded to the fact that they mobilized people to work without being issued appointment letters, the action negates the completion of the process.

“There is already injustice, the people instead of protesting, blocking the road have come down here because the court is the last hope of the common man. We contribute to the revenue of this state to the highest quota We are the highest contributor to the money you even want to pay these people, you gave Eastern Obollo 4 and Ibesikpo Asutan 79.

“When the state says it’s on merit, it’s a direct insult on us that we are not intelligent, we have people who scored as high as 90 so what were the parameters the government used to decide this merit in a specific term?” he queried.

The plaintiff revealed that despite the court’s wisdom to engage the matter in an out-of-court settlement, the state government has refused to oblige.

Meanwhile the defense counsel, Mr. Bassey Ekanem refused to comment on the matter and simply told journalists to “wait till next adjournment date.”