The matter instituted by six permanent secretaries challenging their “forceful” retirement by the current Rivers State government led by Governor Nyesom Wike has been fixed for hearing at the National Industrial Court in Yenegoa, the Bayelsa state capital.
The Court headed by Justice Agbadu Fishim fixed January 19 for the hearing.
The six former permanent secretaries are praying the court to stop the Rivers state government from ejecting them from their official quarters.
Counsel to the claimants, Tuduru Ede, told newsmen in Yenegoa after the adjournment that his clients were seeking the relief since they had instituted a substantive suit challenging their retirement.
He said the Rivers state government lacked the right to forcefully retire civil servants who were yet to reach their retirement aged.
Ede also argued that his clients were still civil servants in the Rivers State Government, who should enjoy all the rights of civil servants until the matter was dispensed off.
“The Perm Secs are saying that the court should direct the defendants not to remove them from their accomodation or take away any property with them as Permanent Secretaries because they are still in service and the matter is being contested in court.
“To sack a civil servant you must follow specified rules. By Law they are still civil servants, so nobody can just come and start sacking people anyhow. That is not possible,” he said.
The six retired permanent secretaries were all present in the court.
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