Latest report reaching us today is that the court of appeal sitting in the Federal capital territory, FCT Abuja has ordered the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its strike that was started on February 14th.
At the court session on Friday, 7th October 2022, the appellate court disclosed that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) should obey the order of an industrial court which directed the suspension of the strike before seeking to appeal the judgment through Appeal court.
As earlier disclosed, the Academic Staff Union of Universities has been on strike since February 14 to press home the demand for improved funding for universities, a platform to receive payment, a review of salaries for lecturers, and a host of other requests.
After several meetings between the federal government and the striking union to resolve the strike ended inconclusively, the federal government, through Minister Chris Ngige, had chosen to take the legal path by proceeding to the national industrial court to challenge the Union.
In a ruling delivered on the 21st of September 2022, the industrial court granted the federal government’s application for an interlocutory injunction to restrain ASUU from continuing with the strike pending the determination of the substantive suit.
However, the striking union disagreed with the Industrial court ruling, and Femi Falani, the highly respected Lawyer representing ASUU, approached the Court of Appeal seeking leave to challenge the lower court’s decision.
The court of appeal had asked the Federal government and ASUU on Wednesday, 5th October 2022, to explore the option of an out-of-court settlement.
However, at the court session on Thursday, both parties agreed to proceed with the hearing after failing to reach a settlement.
Delivering a ruling at the resumed court session on Friday, a three-member appellate court panel granted the union “conditional leave” to appeal the industrial court’s decision.
The three-member panel led by Hamman Barka, disclose that for ASUU to file its notice of appeal within seven days, it must show evidence that its members have respected the Industrial court ruling and resumed work immediately.
The three-member panel stated that failure to adhere to the order would make the appeal incompetent before the Court of Appeal. We are waiting for ASUU reply and their next line of action.
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