National Assembly staff cannot embark on strike, court insists

The National Industrial Court, NIC, Abuja, has said that it has not vacated an order it gave restraining the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, from embarking on a planned strike.

The NIC made the clarification on Monday at the resumed sitting of the court in a suit instituted by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, against PASAN.

Saraki and Dogara had prayed the court to restrain members of PASAN from embarking on strike and shutting down the National Assembly.

The Chairman, Secretary of PASAN, the Clerk and Deputy Clerk of National Assembly were joined as co-defendants.

When the case up on Monday, counsel to the claimant, Anthony Ameh, informed the court that the interim order and originating processes had been served on the defendants.

He, however, told the court that there was credible information that PASAN was planning to embark on another strike, adding that if the defendants embarked on strike, the court should charge them with contempt of the court.

Justice Sanusi Kado, who presided, held that the interim order of Dec. 18, 2018, restraining the defendants from embarking on strike was still in force.

When the judge enquired from the counsel of the defendants if they had been served processes and if they had filed anything in reply, Mr Omoloja Adegoke, the Defence Counsel to first, second and third defendants, said he had been served, but noted that he was only briefed on Friday and asked for time to take necessary steps.

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Mr Charles Yoila, Defence Counsel to fourth and fifth defendants, on his part informed the court that he was only been briefed on Monday. He said he would have filed all necessary court processes before the next date of adjournment.

The judge adjourned the matter till February 19, after ordering that hearing notice be served on all parties.

It would be recalled that the workers had embarked on protest on Dec. 17, 2018 over claims of unpaid entitlement amongst other things.

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