By Kelvin Obambon
The Federal High Court sitting in Calabar on Tuesday has again adjourned hearing into a case filed by Gender and Development Action (GADA) and the International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA) against the National Universities Commission (NUC), the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof. Florence Obi and Prof. Cyril Ndifon.
The law suit with file number FHC/CA/FHR/10/2024 which seeks to compel the defendants, including the NUC, to make stringent rules to guide lecturers and other university staff in their dealings to prevent abuses, was first brought up before the court on 14th March, 2024.
When it was brought up again on Tuesday 11th June 2024, counsel to the applicants (GADA and FIDA), Akaranta Uzodinachi Esq. filed an application for adjournment due to the fact that the lead counsel was not available and could not present their reaction to the counter affidavit of the respondents.
However, counsel to the first, second and third respondents, Jonas Abuo Esq., and the counsel to the fourth respondent, Ogbiji Ogbiji Esq. did not object to the application for adjournment.
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The presiding judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, therefore adjourned the case until 24th of June, 2024 for definite hearing.
Meanwhile, speaking with journalists shortly after the court sitting, Jonas Abuo Esq., the counsel to the first, second and third respondents, explained that at the last adjourned date the court mandated all parties to exchange their pleadings and be sure that they have served themselves so that by Tuesday the 11th June the court would hold definite hearing of the application.
“But regrettably, even when the applicants were served in time and they have enough time as the rules provide – which is 5 days from the service of the counter affidavit of the respondents. Yet they were unable to file their reaction. It is as a result of their failure to file this that they brought an oral application to the court for an adjournment. So the court bent backward and granted a short adjournment which is to enable the applicants to file and serve their reaction to the processes that have been filed by all the respondents,” he said.
