ASUU to appeal judgment ordering lecturers to go back to work

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it will appeal Wednesday judgment by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) asking it to call off its over seven-month-old strike and return to the classrooms.

Justice Polycarp Hamman had, while delivering judgment in an application for an interlocutory injunction, filed by the Federal Government, restrained the union from continuing with the strike, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Even though ASUU president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, did not outrightly say the union will appeal the judgment, preferring to say that ASUU would consult its lawyers, Femi Falana SAN, counsel to the union, however, told the media hours after the court order that he was preparing the grounds of appeal.

Later, the union in a statement signed by the Lagos Zonal Coordinator, Dr Adelaja Odukoya, quoted Osodeke, as saying, “our lawyer is filing an appeal and stay of execution of the judgment.”

READ: Three things government must do to immediately end ASUU strike – Osodeke

According to the statement titled, ‘NICN back to work order on ASUU: Be calm’, Osodeke urged the aggrieved university teachers to remain calm as there is no cause for alarm on the back-to-work order delivered earlier today.

“Members should remain resolute and strong. A people united can never be defeated. Solidarity without compromise,” he stated.

Justice Hamman in his ruling said the ASUU strike was detrimental to public university students who could not afford to attend private tertiary institutions.

He added that the Trade Dispute Act mandates workers not to embark on strike once an issue has been referred to the industrial court.

Consequently, he upheld the application of the government, saying it was meritorious and granted, but refused to fine the government as demanded by ASUU.

He ordered that the case file should be returned to the president of the Industrial Court for reassignment to another judge, as he is a vacation judge.