supporters are not in good mood, following the recent judgement of the
National Industrial Court sitting in Owerri on case NICW/OW/18/2013
which not only that it did not favour the governor and three other
defendants but also gave the governor 30 days ultimatum.
After years of legal fireworks between the counsel representing the
dissolved leadership of Imo State Independent Electoral Commissioner
(ISIEC) and those of governor Okorocha, Attorney General of Imo State,
ISIEC and Imo State House of Assembly (IMHA) who are 1st, 2nd, 3rd and
4th defendants respectively from the State High Court to the National
Industrial Court. Yesterday, Wednesday 1st July 2015 witnessed the
conclusion of the case with a judgement by the Industrial Court.
Delivering her judgement, Hon Justice Olufunke Y. Anowe faulted the
governor's action to be unconstitutional and illegal, submitting that
the claimants were constitutionally and legally appointed by the
Government they served under, having gone through and passed the
mandatory and necessary procedures with due processes associated to
such appointment, including the mandatory screening by the state House
of Assembly.
Having declared the sack illegal, the National Industrial Court
ordered the immediate computation and payment of the salaries,
allowances and other entitlements due to the affected persons between
June 2012 and February 2015.
The Justice Anowe judgement also stated that, the governor and the
three other defendants have an ultimatum of thirty days to implement
the judgement of the honourable Court, on the contrary, the total
benefit of each claimants will attract an additional 10% penalty from
the defendants.
It will be recalled that the case was initially filed in the High
Court by Paul Ogujiofor, Kelvin Agbaegbu, Louis Onwunali and Philip
Onyelanka Onyenwoke before it was later transferred to the National
Industrial Court in 2012.
—Trumpeta
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