By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

The Obolo nation conprising of Eastern Obolo, Mbo, Oron, Okobo, Urue offong/Oruku, and Udung Uko Local government areas of Akwa Ibom state have dragged the state government to court over alleged discrimination in teachers’ recruitment exercise conducted into public schools last year.

Joined in the suit no HU/332/2 as first to fifth respondents are the executive chairman secondary education board, the secondary education board, commissioner of education, the Attorney general and commissioner of Justice and the state governor.

The communities through their representives Dr, Dressman Romson, Dr. Markus Enene and Dr Inyang Eyoita are praying the court for an interim injunction restraining the Respondents by themselves, agents, privies and any other person from continuing, processing and carrying out with the complained recruitment process pending the the determination of the motion on notice.

The Lawyer to the Plaintiff, Barr Sunday Afiko had expressed disappointment with the state government for not showing interest in resolving the matter even as the court has advised on peaceful settlement out of court.

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Speaking with newsmen on Thursday Barr Afiko lamented that in the recruitment exercise conducted in all the local government areas in Obolo nation were allocated paltry slots while other LGAs had between 20 and 70 slots.

His words, “In the last 1000 teachers recruitment, Eastern Obolo was given just four slots, Ibeno eight slots while some local government like Oron had nine and non of them had up to 20 and above.

“This is very sad as other Ibibio nation had as many as 20 to 70 slots and Ibesikpo Asutan had 79 slots. Aside from the slots, now we are asking what is the perimeters the state government used in giving the employment. They had filed their processes alleging that their processes were on merit.

” But, we have filed our reply challenging the process and now they are saying it was on approved score. And we are saying the approved score is so vague, that is not what to use in quantifying merit. Our people took full participation in the process, but, were not given the opportunity, they were marginalised”

Afiko also noted that court in its wisdom suggested peaceful settlement but, the state government has not responded to the option.

“From what they filed, we just saw that they don’t have any case and the Court in its wisdom said for the interest of the security of the state because of the nature of the matter, we should explore option on peaceful settlement which we were open to such options.

“We could have chatted a way forward but, they have not done that. We have been the ones pestering them and calling for settlement meetings.

“Today, the court has said okay, since the matter was adjourned for settlement or further mention, we should move forward and take our case,” Afiko said.

Meanwhile, the court presided over by Justice Archibong Archibong adjourned the matter till April 14, 2022, due to state government absenteeism.