A’Court to hear ASUU’s stay of execution suit today

• FG bullish, stoking anarchy, labour leader warns
• HURIWA, Oshinowo flay balkanisation of unions
• Malami lauds NIC’s patriotism on strike verdict

The Court of Appeal will, today, entertain the suit filed by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) seeking a stay of execution of the ruling of the National Industrial Court, which ordered it to call of the strike.

When the matter was called, yesterday, counsel to ASUU, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), told the court that he had two applications before the court but wished to withdraw one. The court granted his request.

Falana told the court he had served the preferred application on the Federal Government and had proof of service.

Counsel to the Federal Government, Mr. James Igwe (SAN), however, told the court that it was the withdrawn application that he had seen and responded to.

He said in the light of the new development, he needed time to respond to the application, which he said he intends to oppose.

The presiding judge, Justice Hamma Barka, leading two other justices, consequently, fixed today to hear ASUU’S application.

Earlier, one of the justices, Biobele Georgewill, advised both counsel to meet and evolve a solution to settle the impasse out of court.

“As senior lawyers, for the sake of the children and our lawyers, have a discussion among yourself, leave the litigants out and agree on a way forward. The nation will appreciate you for it,” Georgewill said.

THIS was as a former member of the national executive Council of Trade Union Congress (TUC) and immediate past chairman of the union in Oyo State, Andrew Emelieze, berated the Federal Government over the lingering strike and alleged attempts to bully the union.

“In an attempt to continue to bully ASUU, our government has registered some industrial unions to counter ASUU. This, to us, is childish, funny, ridiculous and a confirmation that the government is not ready to resolve this crisis,” Emelieze said in a statement, yesterday.

Urging Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and TUC to “wake up to their responsibilities,” he called on “Nigerians to occupy all Federal Government secretariats nationwide until the government meets with the genuine demands of ASUU.”

ALSO, a former Director-General of Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Olusegun Oshinowo, said the registration of two more unions in the university system will lead to instability and uncertainty.

He told The Guardian that the 1978 industry-wide restructuring of trade unions by the General Olusegun Obasanjo administration, in line with report of the Abiodun Committee, was aimed at ensuring harmony in the university system.

He argued that the latest move by Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, will not resolve lingering crises in the education sector.

He added: “We may well note that the applications of one of these two new unions that have just been recognised had earlier been rejected by the labour ministry because it contravenes existing rules and principles for the creation of new trade unions.”

SIMILARLY, civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), slammed Ngige for registering the two factional unions, saying the divide-and-rule tactics against ASUU is atrocious, counterproductive and mischievous.

HURIWA’s national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, therefore, urged ASUU to be resolute in pushing for its demands, and prioritise the interest of millions of Nigerian students who have been at home since the strike began February 14, 2022.

IN a related development, Federal Government commended the National Industrial Court (NIC) for putting the nation’s interest above other considerations in its handling of the dispute between it and ASUU.

Speaking at the legal year ceremony of the NIC in Abuja, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, said that the court had, on many occasions, saved the country from undue crises through its deft handling of labour disputes.

“We thank your Lordships for the well-considered decision to order ASUU to return to lecture rooms, in the paramount interest of the education and tutelage for our teeming youths, and in fact, in the overall, best interest of the nation.”