The Akwa Ibom State Government on Wednesday boycotted the court as a legal battle between the state and Obolo nation over alleged manipulation of the last 1000 teachers’ recruitment began.
Obolo nation consisting of Eastern Obolo, Mbo, Oron, Okobo, Urueoffong/Oruku, and Udunguko LGAs through their lawyer, Mr. Sunday Afiko, had approached the state High Court demanding to know the perimeters used in the last teachers’ recruitment exercise where a great number of Obolo people were not employed after scoring high points.
In suit number HU/322/2, the defendants include; the Executive Chairman, Secondary School Education Board, Akwa Ibom State, the Secondary School Education Board, the Commissioner for Education, the Honorable Attorney General, and Commissioner for Justice and Akwa Ibom State Government.
Fielding questions from newsmen in Uyo on Thursday, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Afiko, said that in the recruitment exercise, all the local government areas in Obolo nation had a paltry four to nine slots while other LGAs had between 20 and 70 slots.
Afiko, who confirmed to own evidence for the court, said after Obolo people had as high as 92 and above scores in the examination, they were still marginalised and ultimately denied employment.
“In the last 1000 teachers recruitment, Eastern Obolo was given just four slots, Ibeno eight slots while some local government areas like Oron had nine and non of them had up to 20 and above. This is very sad as other Ibibio nation had as many as 20 to 70 slots and IbesikpoAsutan had 79 slots.
“Aside from the slots, now we are asking what is the perimeters they (government) used in giving the employment.
“They had filed their processes alleging that their processes were on merit. But, we have filed our reply challenging the process and now they are saying it was on approved score. And we are saying the approved score is so vague, that is not what to use in quantifying merit.
“If it was on merit, it should be that those who had like 70, 79,90 and above were employed, therefore people from your locality never had 90 that is why they were not employed but, our people, I have exhibited records, scored 92 an above and were not given employment.
“Our people took full participation in the process, but, were not given the opportunity, they were marginalised,” he said.
“From what they filed, we just saw that they don’t have any case and the court in its wisdom said for the interest of the security of the state because of the nature of the matter, we should explore option on peaceful settlement which we were open to such option.
“So, we were open to Attorney General using his good office to say my people come let’s look at what the challenges are, SSEB, why didn’t you employ these people?
“We could have chatted a way forward but, they have not done that. We have been the ones pestering them and calling for settlement meetings.
“Today, the court has said okay, since the matter was adjourned for settlement or further mention, we should move forward and take our case,” Afiko added.
Meanwhile the court, presided over by Justice ArchibongArchibong due to state government absenteeism, had adjourned the matter to April 14, 2022.