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The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a stay of execution application filed by the Medical Director, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu, Dr Ngozi Unaogu against the court judgment which sacked her from office.
Unaogu had sought the leave of court to stay the December 11, 2025 judgement which sacked her from office and ordered the immediate re-instatement of Prof. Monday Igwe to complete his unlawfully terminated tenure in office.
Delivering the judgement on the application however, Justice E.D. Subilim dismissed the stay of execution request as lacking in merit.
He held that, “By presenting a written address based on completely alien facts concerning medical supplies, the Applicants have failed to address the actual issues in this case, leaving this Court with no coherent legal arguments from their counsel.
“A Court of law does not act on speculative or hopelessly confused processes. See Overseas Construction Co. Nigeria Ltd v. Creek Enterprises Ltd [1985] 3 NWLR (Pt. 13) 407. This gross negligence on the part of the Applicants’ counsel further reinforces the conclusion that this application is completely devoid of merit.
“In the final analysis, I find that the Applicants have failed to establish any special, exceptional, or compelling circumstances to warrant the exercise of this Court’s discretion in their favour.
“The application is incompetent, contemptuous, and a blatant attempt to run out the clock on the Respondent’s reinstatement.”
He also awarded N500,000 damage against the application in favour of Igwe.
Counsel to Igwe, Michael Okorie, said the implication of the dismissal of the stay of execution bid is that “all official actions including issuance of appointment letters and award of contracts by Dr. Ngozi Unaogu since 11th December, 2025 when the judgment was delivered are null and void.”
He further warned members of the public to beware of dealings with Dr. Unaogu to avoid suffering nullity of such illegal actions.
He further explain that the dismissal of the stay of execution bid means the judgment remains operative and enforceable.
The development, according to him, requires President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare to immediately comply with the judgment in order to uphold the rule of law and prevent to prevent further deterioration of the public health organisation. (The Guardian)
