Press Release: A call to the 5,000 Teachers not to release their Letters of first appointment to anybody

We are Solicitors to the 5,000 teachers employed by the Akwa Ibom State Government in April, 2015. The Akwa Ibom State Government claimed through a radio announcement on the Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) on the 30th of October, 2016; that, the appointment which had statutory flavour has been terminated without compliance with the extant rules of the employment. 

That act of the government which we considered and still consider tyranic in all ramifications was challenged through representative action at the National Industrial Court, by the Claimants.

As at the last date in court, after the Preliminary Objective of the State Government was defeated roundly, it was ordered in the Ruling of the Court that, the status quo ante of the matter should be maintained, and that the rest of the matter should not be destroyed by any of the parties. This directive, which is part of the Ruling of the Court, was stressed by the Court. And the parties agreed to abide with the Ruling of the Court.

It is regrettable that the action of the government to over-reach the court by going ahead to disobey the Order of Court is not only unfortunate, but a shameless affront on democracy and the Rule of Law. 

The Akwa Ibom State Government through the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the State, conducted an illegal verification exercise in February this year during the pendency of the matter in court, and went ahead to paste the names it purports to be names of successful candidates of the illegal verification exercise. And it stands condemned by democrats, law-abiding citizens, and every right-thinking member of the society.

It is also on record that the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Akwa Ibom State Government ( a party in the suit as one of the Defendants) announced through various media of mass communication that, members of the 5,000 Teachers and others whom it claimed were successful, should bring their original letters of first appointment with the government, and submit same, so as to collect another appointment letter, for purposes of deployment.

May we INFORM all members of the 5,000 Teachers community that, it is an act of aggression on the part of the State Government to intimidate them to tender their original letters of first appointment to anyone purporting to work for the Akwa Ibom State Government, who seek to collect same and give them (the teachers) fresh letters of appointment in the face of the Order of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

More so, it amounts to fraud, simplicita, for the members of the 5,000 Teachers community, to be short-changed with all intent and purposes, from the benefit of their law suit, which the Akwa Ibom State Government and all other Defendants have not responded to since the matter commenced since early this year. If the government has any defence against the suit, it knows what to do in the face of this matter, in court: not, outside the court.

TAKE NOTICE, that all members of the 5,000 Teachers community are hereby advised not to release their original letters of first appointment to anybody, including those who claim to be government officials. 

The matter comes up at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Calabar Division, in Calabar, Cross River State, on the 12th and 13th of September, 2017. We encourage all persons of goodwill to come over and listen to the justice of the matter.

Clifford Thomas, Esq.

Lead Counsel to the 5,000 Teachers-0803-937-9156