The absence of the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) and Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Institute of Architects has stalled the case instituted by Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates of Architectural Technology in Nigeria.
They filed the case against the President, Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), ARCON, Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, National Board of Technical Education (NBTE), the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) and The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
Sometime in September 2020, the aggrieved HND graduates of Architecture in Nigeria filed a case against ARCON and others for the manner the Council and the Nigerian Institute of Architects treat polytechnic graduates of Architecture in Nigeria.
Counsel for the plaintiffs, Yinka Agboola, said the matter was brought before the court to address the discrimination against the polytechnic graduates of Architecture in Nigeria, who were being unlawfully refused registration by the ARCON in some cases even after some of the plaintiffs had passed the professional examinations conducted by the Nigerian Institute of Architects.
According to the counsel, all Polytechnic graduates of Architecture in Nigeria are plaintiffs, although a number of them have been voted to represent them before the court.
Over the years, the ARCON has unlawfully denied the plaintiffs the opportunity to participate in the professional examinations conducted by the Council.
However, when the case came up for hearing at the Federal High Court, Ibadan last Monday, it could not proceed, following the absence of two of the defendants.
Justice J.O. Abdulmalik told the plaintiffs that the two bodies who are sued as the 3rd and 4th defendants must be served with hearing notices before the case could proceed as regards the pending applications before the court. The matter has been adjourned till 25th of February for the hearing of pending application.
