Court dismisses suit by former bursar challenging his sack by UNICAL
University of Calabar
The National Industrial Court in Calabar has dismissed a suit filed by a former bursar of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Peter Agi, challenging his suspension and eventual.
The former Bursar claimed he was not allowed to exhaust internal processes.
Reacting to the ruling, Agi severally denied all the allegations leveled against him and will most likely institute a full-blown matter against the university against his alleged wrongful suspension and eventual sack.
Agi was in a controversial circumstance suspended in August and eventually sacked by the management of the university in November last year over allegations of fraud and others and he dragged the school, the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar to court seeking redress insisting that due process was not followed.
Ruling on the matter in Calabar last Tuesday, Justice Nneka Esowe said Agi’s suit was premature, having failed to comply with the internal dispute mechanisms as stipulated by University of Calabar Law no. 80 of 1979.
The Judge said Agi did not exhaust internal processes before coming to court and it was difficult for his prayers to stand.
Commenting on the ruling, Counsel to the Vice Chancellor, Abiye Atururobibo, said: “We are happy that the court has done justice in this matter and has completely venerated our position which we always canvassed from the inception of this matter that Mr Peter Agi’s action against the University is incompetent and premature because he did not follow due process”.
He argued: “The University of Calabar has rules and the court has always emphasized that were there are internal mechanisms for reconciliation and resolution of matters those internal mechanisms should be pursued appropriately.
“In this matter, the Agi team did not explore this crucial avenues that are within the rules of the university and the court has vindicated our position by its ruling this afternoon that the action that Mr Peter Agi had filed against the University of Calabar, the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar, because it did not follow due process and was not in compliance with the governing rules of the university is immature, premature and accordingly been properly dismissed.”
