BREAKING: Court Gives Verdict on Way Forward on ASUU, FG Crisis
- The suit against the ASUU filed by the federal government at the national industrial court of Nigeria has been adjourned to September 6
- The federal government, through the minister of labour and employment. Chris Ngige, is asking the court to order the striking lecturers to return to class
- Counsel to FG, Tijanni Gazali says the government have met all ASUU's demand, while counsel to ASUU, Femi Falana, says the lecturers have never stopped working
The national industrial court of Nigeria has adjourned the suit filed by the federal government against the Academic Staff Union of the University (ASUU) till September 16.
The court is to decide on the industrial action the academic union had embarked upon about 7 months ago, Channels Television reported.
Source: Facebook
The government had approached the Abuja court, asking for an order for ASUU to resume to work while it continues to engage the union in the dispute.
When did FG take ASUU to court?
This was contained in a statement by the head of press and public relations at the ministry of labour and employment.
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It revealed that the matter was referred to the registrar of the court by the minister, Chris Ngige, on Thursday, September 8.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) sought to join in the suit as an interested party at Monday's proceedings.
Why SERAP sues FG over ASUU strike?
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, who is the lawyer for SERAP, said his client had filed another suit to compel the federal government to honour its 2019 agreement with the union.
He said SERAP’s request to join in the matter is based on the need to forestall the duplicity of outcomes concerning the industrial dispute. However, counsel to the Federal Government, Tijjani Gazali (SAN) opposes SERAP’s application to consolidate the suits.
He told the judge that SERAP’s application was premature as the case was billed for mention on Monday.
What did the judge say about ASUU strike?
Counsel to ASUU, Femi Falana, however, argued that he was aware of the efforts by lawyers to file court papers in the suit on Monday.
The judge ruled that the suit is not ripe for consolidation by SERAP. The judge said he was only presiding over the matter as a vacation judge and that the case would be assigned to another judge for adjudication.
He ordered the parties in the suit to file and exchange court documents as he adjourned the matter to Friday, 16 September 2022.
University lecturers have not stopped working - Falana
Speaking to journalists outside the court, counsel to ASUU, Falana, berated the Federal Government for going to the court.
He said the Federal Government should stop trying to blackmail ASUU, maintaining that university lecturers have not stopped working.
On his part, the counsel to the Federal Government, Tijanni Gazali, said ASUU cannot dictate to the Federal Government what platform its members are to be paid.
He said the agreement reached between the Federal Government and ASUU has been substantially implemented and that details of their agreement will form part of the papers they will be filing before the court.
Full list of state-owned universities that do not join ASUU strike
Legit.ng earlier reported that some state-owned universities have not joined the ASUU strike as the industrial actions of the academics enter the 204th day.
States whose universities did not join the industrial action included Osun, Oyo, Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Anambra.
The federal government has also vowed, on Monday, September 5, to deploy all strategies to end strikes in the country's tertiary institutions.
Source: Legit.ng
