ASUU strike: Court to deliver ruling in FG’s prayer Sept. 19

The National Industrial Court on Friday fixed Sept. 19 to deliver ruling on Federal Government’s prayer asking the court to order the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its seven months strike.

The matter which was first mentioned on Monday was adjourned until Friday for further mention before Justice Polycarp Hamman.

When the matter came up, Mr J.U.K Igwe SAN informed the court that going by its directive on Monday that the claimant should file its process latest by Tuesday, that they had filed two processes.

Mr Femi Falana, SAN, counsel to ASUU in response acknowledged receiving process from the claimant and stated that they were already filing their reply in the court’s registry.

Falana added that the Minister of Labour and Employment lacked the power to ask the court in his referral to order the defendant to go back to work.

He also informed the court that ASUU would be meeting stakeholders in the House of Representative on Sept. 20 to ensure that the matter is resolved.

He submitted that the court should invoke the cited section in SERAP’s favour to be joined in the suit as a defendant and urged the court to take his application to that effect before entertaining any other application in the suit

The court in addition stated that the application for interlocutory injunction will be taken first on Sept. 19 by 11am.

The judge therefore adjourned the matter until Sept. 19, for hearing .

It was gathered that the Minister of Labour and Employment on behalf of the Federal Government had filed the matter before the court by way of referral to resolve the issue of the ongoing strike by ASUU.