By ETIM ETIM
No fewer than 15 former workers of Akwa Ibom Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osura, are planning to take legal action against the institution for wrongful termination of their appointment in 2022. They claim that their appointment were terminated without due process. The workers, both teaching and non-teaching staff, are particularly encouraged by the recent judgment of the Industrial Court sitting in Uyo which had on July 14, 2026 ordered the polytechnic to reinstate another lecturer, Dr. Paulinus Ekpo, for wrongful termination. Dr. Ekpo’s appointment was terminated on December 22, 2022. In 2023, he took his case to the Industrial Court, stating that his termination did not follow due process as laid down in the Polytechnic Law, Laws of Akwa Ibom State. On July 14, the Court agreed with him and ordered the institution to reinstate him to his position as Chief Lecturer and Head of Department and pay all his entitlements and salaries from date of termination to date.
The case has caused considerable excitement on campus and amongst workers who had suffered the fate with Ekpo. Speaking to this writer this week, Engr Efiong Dan, who was the Head of Department of Computer Engineering until September 15, 2022, when he was terminated, said he and his colleagues have suffered immense deprivation and hardship in the last three years. He said that after the termination of their appointment, four of them wrote a petition to the Speakers of the House of Assembly, Aniekan Bassey and Udeme Otong, between 2023 and 2025, seeking the intervention of the State House of Assembly. But there was no response. ‘’The former Rector of the polytechnic was high-handed, cruel and mean. He did not merit or deserve to be a rector, but was put there on the basis of nepotism’’, Engr. Dan said, his voice shaking. The fours are Engr. Efiong Dan; Mr. Akanama Bassey Edem (Science Lab Technology); Godwin Edet Okokon (Banking & Finance) and Efiong Okon Emidiok (Accountancy).
Another former lecturer, George Umoren (General Studies Department) who had already gone to court, says he is hopeful for a favourable judgment. ‘’I am hopeful that I will obtain justice. God is on the throne’’, he said.
ETIM ETIM is a veteran journalist and PR professional with over 35 years of cognate experience.
He is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Policy & Politics (www.policyandpolitics.com.ng), an online newspaper dedicated to insightful analysis of Nigerian news and world’s report. He is also a columnist with BusinessDay and The Cable and is a regular contributor to other newspapers.
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