The National Industrial Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State has declared that the decision by the authorities of the Federal University, Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government area of the state to demote a lecturer Dr. Timothy Falade-Obalade Adedapo to a Senior Lecturer of the Institution was illegal, null and void.
Dr. Timothy Falade-Obalade, who is an Associate Professor in Modern Sciences, was also awarded the sum of N5 million in damages by the court over the decision of the institution at wrongly questioning his qualification and ridiculing him in the eyes of the public.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Bashar Alkali, in his ruling on the suit numbered NIC/YEN/2019 filed against the university and its former Vice Chancellor, Prof. Seth Accra Jaja, said : “The demotion from the position of Associate Professor to Senior Lecturer is illegal, null and void”.
On the alleged defamation of character and qualifications, Justice Alkali, ruled the defamatory aspect of the claim by the FUO against the claimant is reckless and against normal practice.
Dr. Adedapo had in his suit, argued that they are seven lecturers affected by the decision of the institution’s Governing Council which was made known in a press release dated December 18, 2018.
He pointed out that the said publication portrayed him as a criminal who forged certificate with which he obtained employment with the institution.
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