Court reinstates 8 permanent secretaries sacked by Wike
The National Industrial Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state on Friday voided the sack of eight permanent secretaries by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state.
The Rivers state government had in 2015 sacked the eight permanent secretaries, the state head of service and the state accountant general, among others.
The sacked permanent secretaries are Samuel Woka, Kadilo Brown, Augustine Orlu-Orlu, Muka Nwikosi, Minabelema Michael-West, Ngozi Abu, Kingsley Hart and Mrs. Justina Jumbo.
Delivering the judgement, Justice Basha Alkali, described the sack of the permanent secretaries as unconstitutional, null and void since it did not follow the set down procedures in the public service.
“The sack was in contravention of the civil service rules and therefore unlawful,” he declared, even as the court ordered that all salaries and allowances accrued to the permanent secretaries since 2015 should be paid to them.
Read Also: Enugu records second Lassa fever fatality
Counsel to the claimants, Odum Eyiba described the judgment as well-considered, stating that “the judgment is a product of industry, research and well-considered. We instituted this action back in 2015.”
Lawyer to Rivers state government, Henry Amadi, in his reaction to the ruling said that he will study the judgment.
“That is the judgment of the court and we have to go through it and know the way forward. The way forward is not what I will disclose here, thank you,” he said.
