ASUU Appeals Court Ruling Over Strike

By Damilare Adeleye

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said it will, on Friday (today), file an appeal against the ruling of the National Industrial Court which ordered its members to resume work.

The Nigerian Voice recalls that Justice Polycarp Hamman on Wednesday directed the union to call off its ongoing industrial action pending the determination of Federal Government's suit against the union.

Counsel for ASUU, Femi Falana (SAN), has, however, said the union will appeal the ruling as earlier as today, 23rd September, 2022.

In an interview with journalist yesterday in Abuja, the human rights activist said, “We are filing the appeal tomorrow (Friday) morning. We just got the certified true copy of the judgment on Thursday. The appeal will be filed first thing Friday morning.”

Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State University’s ASUU Chairman, Ikechukwu Igwenyi, on Thursday, said with the court order, the Federal Government has declared “war” against members of the union.

He pointed out that the “no work, no pay” policy of the government shows the authorities lack an understanding of the nature of the contract between the lecturers and their employees.

“The NIC ordered ASUU to call off the ongoing strike and return to the classroom with empty stomachs and unpaid bills pending the determination of the suit filed against the union by the Federal Government,” he said in Abakaliki, on Thursday.

ASUU has been on strike since February 14 to press home its demands for improved funding for universities, a review of salaries for lecturers and the medium of payment of salaries, among other issues.