The National Industrial Court on Wednesday fixed June 14 to take pending applications in a suit filed by a suspended staff member of the National Mathematical Centre (NMC), Dr. Gregory Obayomi, against the Centre.
When the matter slated for hearing of pending applications came up before Justice Olufunke Anuwe, the claimant’s counsel announced his appearance and informed the court that there was no legal representation for the defendants.
The court on its part said that there was a letter from the defence counsel notifying the court about his absence and suggesting other dates.
This the court explained was as a result of the court’s inability to sit on May 4 as the judge was away on another official engagement.
This development according to the court made the court to move the cases for May 4 to May 31.
The date however in the defence counsel’s letter to the court was not convenient for him as he had other prior matters fixed for the same date .
The court therefore suggested to the claimant’s counsel to take one of the dates as suggested by the defence counsel.
The court in turn adjourned the matter until June 14, for hearing of all pending applications.
From facts, the claimant, Obayomi had dragged the NMC, Governing Council , Director/Chief Executive and the acting Registrar of the Centre as defendants to court.
The claimant instituted the suit in June 2022 over alleged dissatisfaction with the process and procedures adopted by the defendants in the appointment process of a new Registrar for the Centre.
In his court processes, Obayomi termed as “unjust, non- transparent, and biased disposition” of the defendants in handling the 2022 Registrar’s appointment process.
The NMC management however suspended the claimant and stopped his salary in Aug. 2022.
The defendants had alleged that the claimant was suspended as a result of his failure to explore all internal dispute resolution mechanism as stipulated by the terms and conditions governing the Centre.
The court had earlier directed all parties in the suit in its ruling on July 14, 2022, to maintain status quo, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
The court also in another ruling on Dec.13,2022 ordered that the claimant be reinstated to his duty post from the purported suspension from duty.
In the ruling Anuwe said “in the circumstances of the suspension of the claimant from duty, l find good reason in this application to set aside the said suspension of the claimant which was done while the suit and Motion on Notice were pending. I so order.
” Consequently, pending the determination of this suit, the defendants are restrained from instituting any disciplinary proceedings against the claimant or tempering with the claimant’s appointment, emoluments, or promotion”, the court ruled.
Failure of the defendants to comply with the orders of the court saw the claimant filing proceedings for Committal to prison against the defendants.
The defendants on its part has filed counter processes to the Committal to prison proceedings.
These applications form part of the pending applications to be taken by the court on the next adjourned date of June 14.
