The National Industrial Court has ordered the management of the Federal University Oye Ekiti to stop further action on the recent announcement on the sacking of the Registrar and the Bursar of the institution.
Ruling on the case brought by Mr Olatunbosun Odusanya and Mrs Bolatito Roseline Akande (Registrar and Bursar respectively) challenging their purported sack by the management of FUOYE, the presiding judge, Justice E. N Agbakoba issued an orders restraining the University from sacking the plaintiffs and or appointing others in their stead untill the substantive suit filed before the court is determined.
Justice Agbakoba in his ruling, delivered on Monday January 31, 2020, held : “I find that this is a matter in which the interest of justice would best be served by the grant of an order of accelerated hearing.
“Meanwhile all parties are to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the hearing of Motion on Notice.
“Parties are hereby directed to maintain status quo ante bellum and refrain from conduct that would lead to breakdown of law and order. ”
The case was consequently adjourned till 17th February 2022 for hearing of Motion on Notice.
Meanwhile, the crisis rocking FUOYE over the dismissal of the chairperson of the institution’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Akinyemi Omonijo, and another leader of the union, Oluwagbemiga Adeyemi, a professor, is yet to abate.
Six months after an industrial court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, granted an out-of-court settlement terms freely entered into by both the university’s counsels and those representing Mr Omonijo, the university is yet to reinstate the latter.
On the part of Mr Adeyemi, the November 2019 judgement of the industrial court, also in Akure, which upturned his dismissal, was also upheld by an appellate court, aslo sitting in Akure, on October 6, 2021.
However, disatisfied with the rulings, the university on October 15, 2021, filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court, challenging the decision of the lower courts to reinstate Mr Adeyemi.
