STRIKE: Court adjourns Ngige’s lawsuit against ASUU till September 16

The case between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been adjourned till September 16.

Justice Polycap Hamman adjourned the matter to enable both parties to file the necessary papers regarding the suit.

The Federal Government had approached the National Industrial Court (NICN) sitting in Abuja, requesting an order for the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to resume while its demands were being addressed.

A statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, said the matter was on Thursday, 8 September, referred to the Registrar of NICN by the Minister, Chris Ngige.

During court proceedings on Monday, Femi Falana, the attorney for ASUU, disagreed with Justice Hamman’s ruling, saying that he was aware of the attempts made by attorneys to file court documents in the lawsuit.

Falana also criticised the Federal Government for attending court while speaking to reporters outside of the court.

He argued that the Federal Government should quit attempting to use ASUU as a bargaining chip and insisted that university teachers are still working.

Falana, in company with ASUU president, Emmanuel Osodeke, and other officials of the striking lecturers, referenced the resident doctors’ dispute with the government last year which resulted in a suit at the NICN.

“The government is yet to put its house in order. The government has not been able to make a case for the intervention of the court, hence the basis for adjournment.

Read also:ASUU strike takes new turn as Ngige drags lecturers to court

“This is not the first time the government has adopted these rather dilatory tactics that have a way of prolonging strikes.

“We were here last year when you had the resident doctors strike. It was the same approach. They (government) said they (resident doctors) won’t be paid, but at the end of the day, government had to pay them. And that is what happens all the time,” Falana noted.

On his part, Tijanni Gazali, the counsel for the Federal Government, asserted that ASUU cannot tell the Federal Government what platform its members should be paid on.

The contents of the deal agreed between the Federal Government and ASUU will be included in the papers they will bring before the court, according to him, and it has been implemented in large part.

ASUU embarked on a four-week strike on 14 February to press home its demands.

The union made it total, comprehensive, and indefinite as a result of the failure of the Federal Government to yield to its demands.

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