The Industrial Court has fixed Friday, this week, to rule on an application seeking to recuse the presiding judge, Justice Isaac Essien from proceeding with a creditors judgment case instituted against the government of Nasarawa State by a group of pensioners in the state.
Justice Essien gave the new date after hearing arguments from counsels to the parties involved in the suit during the court sitting in Makurdi Benue State.
A group of pensioners in Nasarawa State had dragged the state government before an Industrial Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue state, seeking for the full enforcement of a creditors judgement case for payment of their retirement entitlements.
The case which was scheduled for ruling on the 14th of this month, took a new twist when the state government in a petition, applied for the Presiding Judge, Justice Isaac Essien to step aside from further proceeding with the case.
After hearing arguments from Parties in the suit, Justice Essien adjourned until Friday, this week, to decide on whether or not to step aside from the case.
In an interview with journalists, counsel for the Nasarawa State Government, Mr Isaac Edoh, who is also the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Justice stated that Justice Isaac Essien was an interested party and the appropriate thing for him to do was to recuse himself from the case.
While counsel for the pensioners, Mr. Sunday Okpale explained that the application for the Presiding Judge to recuse himself from the case was uncalled for as according to him, the name of the judge was not among the list of the clients he is representing.
Mr Okpale however expressed optimism that justice would served in the matter.
Meanwhile, accounts belonging to Nasarawa State Government and the 13 Local Government Areas in three banks that were affected by the garnishee order have remained restricted until determination of the matter.