Strike: Industrial Court adjourns government-ASUU case till September 16

*The presiding Judge of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria orders the parties in the suit to file and exchange court documents as the matter is adjourned to September 16

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

Amid the continued strike by the academics, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria has adjourned the suit filed by the Federal Government against the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to Friday, September 16, 2022.

The University lecturers, have been observing the industrial action since February this year.

ConsumerConnect reports that after consultations and dispute resolution measures had failed, the Government later approached the Industrial Court sitting in Abuja, FCT, to request an order for ASUU to end the strike.

Olajide Oshundun, Head of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry, in a statement disclosed Sen. Chris Ngige, Honourable Minister for Ministry of Labour and Employment, had referred the matter to the Registrar of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria Thursday, September 8.

However, at Monday’s proceedings, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) sought to join the suit as an interested party.

SERAP’s lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) also said that his client had filed a similar suit to compel the Federal Government to honour its 2009 agreement with the striking University lecturers.

Adegboruwa said SERAP’s request to join in the matter is based on the need to forestall the duplicity of outcomes concerning the industrial dispute.

But Tijjani Gazali (SAN), counsel to the Federal Government, opposes SERAP’s application to consolidate the suits.

Gazali reportedly informed  the presiding judge that SERAP’s application was premature as the case was billed for mention Monday.

Mr. Femi Falana, human right lawyer and counsel to ASUU, argued that he was aware of the lawyers’ efforts at filing court papers in the suit Monday.

The judge then, ruled that the suit was not ripe for consolidation by SERAP. The judge said he was only presiding over the matter as a vacation judge.

According to him, the case will be assigned to another judge for adjudication.

The judge, therefore, ordered the parties in the suit to file and exchange court documents as he adjourned the matter to  September 16.

Falana, in a chat with reporters outside the court, nonetheless, criticised the Federal Government for going to the court.

The human rights lawyer said the Government should stop trying to blackmail ASUU over the prolonged strike in the picnic Universities across the West African country.

Falana maintained that University lecturers have not stopped working however.

Gazali also said ASUU could not dictate to the Federal Government on what platform its members are to be paid.

According to him, agreement reached between the Federal Government and ASUU has been substantially implemented, and that details of their agreement would form part of the papers they will be filing before the court.

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