National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) sitting in Jos, Plateau State, yesterday, adjourned till June 20, 2024, for further mention in a suit filed by Dr John Dawam against his removal as Rector of Plateau State Polytechnic.
Joined in the suit are the Plateau State Government, including the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Governor Caleb Mutfwang and Plateau State Polytechnic through originating summons seeking 16 reliefs.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Humphrey Dashe, told journalists, yesterday, that they instituted the suit NICN/Jos/04/2024 on February 26, 2024, against illegal suspension and removal of their client, Dawam.
However, the absence of the judge stalled the matter from being mentioned, yesterday.
Dashe harped on restraining the respondents from taking further action on the institutions, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
According to Dawam, the originating summons was brought before the court under Section 256C (a), (d) and Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Order 17 Rule 1 & 2 of the National Industrial Court (Civil Procedure Rule 2017 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
Dashe said: “The matter was in relation to the truncation of the tenure of the Rector, Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi, John Dawam, by the Plateau government, and the reason for his removal has not been advanced. That is why we view his removal as unlawful in the eyes of the law.
“The case today was slated for mention and we came ready to commence the process of prosecuting the matter, but the court officials told us that the presiding judge was away on election tribunal somewhere.”
He revealed that the matter was further adjourned for mention till June 20.
According to him, the matter is very clear. “We felt that the governor was misled. He is a lawyer of so many years of practice and he is expected to follow the rule of law with due process,” he averred.
He reiterated that the governing council of the institution was sidelined in the removal of the rector. “So we call on the governor to reverse the decision in the interest of justice.”
