..Says Union Waiting for Lawyers’ Advice
By Kamsi Anayo
Following the National Industrial Court order that striking lecturers under the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) should resume work immediately, the union’s President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, has said the union will await advice from their lawyers to know the next line of action.
In an interview shortly after receiving news of the court order, Osodeke said hearing the union’s lawyers had become imperative since the matter had taken a legal turn and as such, all actions would be as prescribed by ASUU’s lawyers.
“We are waiting for advice from our lawyers. When they advise us, then we will take action,” he said.
On the union’s meeting with the leadership of the House of Representatives, the ASUU President said the union was awaiting further action from the lower legislative chambers and will honour any meeting they are invited to.
According to him “We are also waiting for them to call us back. When they call us, we will go and continue.
Led by Justice Polycarp Hamman, the National Industrial Court, earlier today, (Wednesday, September 21), restrained ASUU from continuing with the industrial action pending the determination of the suit filed against it by the federal government.
Justice Polycap who is a vacation judge, also ordered that the case filed be returned to the president of the Industrial Court for reassignment to another judge.
This order was issued shortly after the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) threatened to prevent political campaigns from taking place nationwide until public university students returned to their classes.
Chairman, NANS National Taskforce, Ojo Olumide, announced this at a press conference in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, also earlier today, barely a week to September 28, the official date for candidates to kick-off campaign as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He said: “Our blocking of access to public roads and ports is just a warning. If the government fails to conclude all the negotiation and agreement with ASUU within the frame of two weeks, they will witness more protests and rallies all over the country; they will also witness the annoyance, anger and frustration of Nigerians Students who have been at home for the past seven months.
“As we promise them that we will not allow any political campaign to hold across the country until we are back to class. This government has pushed so many Nigerians students into depression. We say enough is enough; we can no longer bear the brunt from this avoidable crisis in our nation public ivory towers again.”
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been on strike since February 14, 2022 as talks between the Federal Government and lecturers of public universities have not yielded a comprise upon which students can return to class.