Facts
The Appellants were members of staff of the 1st Respondent. Within the period of 1996 and 2003, the Federal Government gave various written directives to the 1st Respondent to terminate the appointments of some of the 1st Respondent’s staff. The 1st Respondent, following the said directives, terminated the appointment of some of its members of staff (the “rationalisation”). The Appellants’ contention was that the rationalisation exercise carried out by the 1st Respondent did not comply with the Central Bank of Nigeria Staff Manual (the “Staff Manual”). According to the Appellants, the employment of staff of the 1st Respondent was pursuant to a certain Section 49 of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act 1990, Section 9(g) of the CBN Bye Laws and Chapters 3, 4 and 6 of the CBN Staff Manual.
The Appellants, therefore, commenced the suit grounding this appeal via Originating Summons, filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division on 19th May 2003, where the Appellants for themselves and on behalf of the over one thousand rationalized staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, sought declaratory reliefs and court Orders against the Respondents. They sought, inter alia, a declaration that the 1st Respondent, being an autonomous legal body, is not subject to the Federal Government control in its affairs with its staff and that the directive of the Federal Government to the 1st Respondent to embark on rationalization of its staff is wholly in violation of the 1st Respondent’s contractual relationship with its staff. They also sought an Order nullifying the purported rationalization exercise conducted by the 1st Respondent, as well as an Order reinstating them immediately to their respective posts without loss of seniority or benefits.
The suit was heard and determined by the trial court where the action filed by the Appellants was dismissed. The Appellants, being aggrieved, filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, but on hearing the appeal, the Court of Appeal affirmed the decision of the trial court.
Further, the Appellants lodged an instant appeal at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, seeking to upturn the decisions of the lower courts. The Appellants obtained the leave of Court and further appealed to the apex court via an amended Notice of Appeal filed on 4th August 2014.
