Okorocha ordered to pay sacked members of ISIEC by court

After three years of trial, the Industrial Court sitting in Owerri and presided by Justice O. Y. Anuwe, has declared as  unconstitutional the sacking of members of the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC), by the state governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, in May 2012.

The court ordered the governor to pay them their entitlements – salaries and allowances from June 2012 through February 2015 within one month from the date of judgment. He also ordered that should the governor fail to pay, interest accruals would be 10 per cent per annum until he pays.

Reacting to the decision, Okorocha said he would appeal the judgment.

Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, told The Guardian that the governor would do so.

The lead counsel to the claimants, Jude T.U Nnodum (SAN), had insisted in his argument that the removal of the claimants was unconstitutional, urging the court to grant the reliefs sought.

N200,000 cost was awarded in favour of the claimants against the defendants.