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ASUU Begs A’Court to Stay Judgement Ordering End of Strike

Published

3 years ago

September 24, 2022

ASUU’s National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke

* Obey ruling, return to the classrooms, FG tells university teachers

The striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday approached the Court of Appeal, Abuja for an order to stay the execution of a court judgement ordering it to end its ongoing nationwide strike.
The university teachers have been on strike since February 14, to press home their demands for improved funding for universities and a review of salaries for lecturers, among other issues.

Justice Polycarp Hamman of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division, had on Wednesday, while delivering ruling in an interlocutory injunction application by the federal government, restrained ASUU from continuing with the strike.

The judge had predicated his decision on Section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act, that empowers him to make such decisions in the interest of the nation.
Dissatisfied, the university lecturers yesterday filed a Notice of Appeal to challenge the order of the Industrial Court.

ASUU through its lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, had in a motion sought the leave of the court “to appeal against the interlocutory ruling of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria per Honourable Justice P.1. Hamman.”
The appellant also prayed the court for another order, “staying execution of the order of Justice Hamman … pending the hearing and determination of the interlocutory Appeal.”

ASUU is claiming that the ruling of Justice Hamman affects its fundamental rights to fair hearing, adding that it would be in the interest of justice to stay the execution of same pending the hearing and determination of the Appeal arising thereto.
In the 14 grounds of proposed notice of appeal, ASUU is claiming that the trial Judge “erred in law and thereby occasioned a miscarriage of justice when he decided to hear and determine the Respondents’ motion for interlocutory injunction when he knew or ought to have known that the substantive suit filed by the Claimant was not initiated by due process of law.”

ASUU in grounds two of the appeal also claimed that Justice Hamman misdirected himself in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice when he decided to hear other motions before the motion challenging court’s jurisdiction on the matter.
The appellant further submitted that the learned trial judge erred in law when he held that “pursuant to Section 17 of the Trade Dispute Act, Section 18(1) E mandates the members of the Defendants/Respondents not to take part in any strike pending the determination of the suit.”

After several failed attempts to get the striking lecturers back to work while negotiations continue, the government opted for the current court action and prayed the court to compel ASUU to end the nearly seven months old strike in the interest of the nation and the Nigerian students who are suffering the most from the strike.
The Ministry of Labour had approached the industrial court to challenge the refusal of the striking lecturers to end the nearly seven months old strike, claiming that millions of students have been out of school since February 14, 2022 when they went on strike.

FG to ASUU: Obey Court Ruling, Go Back to Classrooms

The federal government yesterday urged the public university lecturers to heed the ruling of the National Industrial Court by calling off the seven-month old strike and returning to the classrooms.
Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, who made the government position known, advised ASUU to obey the court ruling and call off its ongoing nationwide strike, while negotiations are ongoing.

He gave the advice while speaking with newsmen in New York on the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly.
Ngige said: “I’m not ASUU but the maximum in law is that when there is a court judgement or ruling or order you must first obey and then we can apply for an appeal if you so desire or apply for stay, that is stay of execution.

“So, the maximum in law, jurisprudence and everything about the law, is that you obey the court’s ruling, judgement or order, no matter how bad.
“So, we expect them to get back to the classrooms but that doesn’t foreclose negotiations, the negotiations should be on as a matter of fact, it will be on officially and non-officially. For example, the House of Representatives had invited us to come and brief them. And together, they are stakeholders.

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“You heard Mr. President said to the committee of Pro-Chancellors, when they visited him, that he would do consultation as per the two request on putting an icing on the cake, on the government’s offer to ASUU members and the issue of resettlement fund to cushion the effect of the ‘no work no pay’ situation they found themselves.”

Law Infraction: NLC Intervenes for ASUU

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has waded into the brewing conflict between the Federal Ministry of Labour and ASUU over alleged non-rendition of annual financial returns and audited accounts by the union.
Ngige had accused the leadership of ASUU of failing to submit the annual audited account of its finances as required by law for the past five years.

Owing to this, he said the union was in violation of the relevant section of the Trade Union Act requiring unions to submit their audited account to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment at the office of the Registrar of Trade Unions.

Ngige disclosed this in Abuja during a meeting with the Nigerian Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), a new group seeking registration, stating that ASUU risks losing its certificate of registration.
He said the law requires that the union and other registered trade unions to audit their account at least once every year and to indicate how they utilise the funds accruing from check off dues paid by their members.
Ngige said that by not submitting the audited accounts for five years running, the union has violated the provisions of Section 37(1) of the Trade Union Act (CAP TILFN 2004).

He said ASUU’s registration as a trade union may be withdrawn because of this.
However, NLC has written to the Registrar of Trade Unions, pleading that it should accept and file the annual financial returns and audited accounts, presented by ASUU on September 9.
In a letter signed by NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, addressed to the Registrar of Trade Unions and copied to the Minister of Labour and Employment yesterday in Abuja, Wabba said: “We understand that ASUU has responded to your query to submit its Annual Financial Reports and Audited Accounts within 72 hours
“ASUU responded to the query through their letter dated Sept. 9. In the letter, the union posited that it had submitted the Annual Financial Returns and Audited Accounts for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

“ASUU also averred that the union has now rendered the account for 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 as at 9th September 2022.
“All these submissions were made in less than 72 hours in compliance with your query as conveyed in your letter.
“We also understand that ASUU sent one of their staff and their external auditor to personally deliver the requested financial documents on Sept. 9.
“But their efforts to submit the documents were rebuffed by your staff who insisted that they were under instructions not to accept any document from ASUU.
“ASUU subsequently sent the requested financial documents through courier services but again the staff in your office refused to receive the Annual Financial Returns and the Audited Accounts from ASUU.”

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BREAKING: Tinubu Assents to 2026 Electoral Act, Sets Stage for 2027 Elections

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BREAKING: Tinubu Assents to 2026 Electoral Act, Sets Stage for 2027 Elections

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the 2026 Electoral Act Amendment into law, setting the legal framework for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The signing ceremony took place on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas in attendance.

The new law, formally known as the 2026 Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, was recently harmonised and passed by both chambers of the National Assembly amid debate and opposition from minority lawmakers.

The legislative process leading to the signing saw intense deliberations in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Lawmakers constituted a joint conference committee to reconcile differences between their respective versions of the bill before transmitting the harmonised document to the President for assent. Earlier, Senate President Akpabio had indicated during an emergency plenary session that the President was expected to sign the amended bill before the end of February. That projection materialised within days.

One of the most significant changes introduced by the 2026 Electoral Act is the reduction of the mandatory notice period for general elections from 360 days to 300 days. Lawmakers explained that the adjustment is intended to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) greater operational flexibility in planning and conducting elections without breaching statutory timelines.

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The issue of electronic transmission of election results generated considerable debate throughout the amendment process. Under the new law, electronic transmission is permitted, while manual collation remains legally recognised, particularly in areas where technical or connectivity challenges arise. INEC retains the authority to issue detailed regulations and guidelines governing how results are transmitted and managed. Supporters argue the compromise reflects operational realities, while critics maintain that the changes may weaken transparency safeguards introduced in previous reforms.

Beyond these headline issues, the amended Act also makes adjustments to party primary timelines, candidate nomination processes, and collation procedures. It includes technical corrections across multiple clauses to improve clarity, reduce ambiguities, and strengthen administrative consistency ahead of the 2027 polls.

With presidential assent now secured, the 2026 Electoral Act becomes the binding legal framework governing presidential, National Assembly, governorship, and state House of Assembly elections. INEC is expected to review and align its regulations and operational guidelines with the new provisions as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.

The signing marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s democratic process, with political parties, civil society groups, and voters closely watching how the revised electoral framework will shape the next election cycle.

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Korope Drivers Shut Down Lekki–Epe Expressway Over Lagos Ban (Video)

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February 18, 2026

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Korope Drivers Shut Down Lekki–Epe Expressway Over Lagos Ban (Video)

LAGOS, Nigeria — Tension erupted on Tuesday along the Lekki–Epe Expressway as commercial mini-bus operators, popularly called korope drivers, staged a protest against a state-imposed ban on their operations along the corridor. The demonstration, which occurred during peak hours around the Ajah axis, caused vehicular movement to nearly grind to a halt, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded and triggering heavy traffic gridlock across adjoining routes. Eyewitnesses reported that drivers parked their buses across the carriageway, chanting and demanding the immediate reversal of the restriction.

Security operatives were deployed to restore order, and traffic flow gradually resumed after several hours of disruption.

Some of the protesting drivers said the ban threatens their primary source of income, as the Lekki–Epe corridor has historically been one of the most profitable routes for informal transport operators. “We have families to feed. You cannot just wake up and push us off the road without providing an alternative,” one driver told reporters. The operators called on the government to reconsider the policy or integrate them into the new transport structure rather than exclude them entirely.

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The Lagos State Government, however, defended the restriction, describing the protest as unlawful and disruptive to public order. Authorities explained that the Lekki–Epe Expressway has been designated as a Mass Transit and Regulated Transport Corridor under the state’s Bus Reform Initiative, aimed at modernizing public transport, improving safety, and reducing traffic chaos caused by unregulated operations.

According to Sola Giwa, Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, consultations were held with transport stakeholders before enforcement, and the transition was not sudden. Small vehicles such as korope buses are now expected to operate on feeder and community routes under the state’s First and Last Mile transport strategy, while high- and medium-capacity buses serve the main corridor.

The ongoing transport reform seeks to replace informal minibuses on major highways with structured, regulated services featuring larger buses and digital ticketing systems. Government officials argue that this will enhance commuter safety, improve traffic flow, and boost economic productivity along one of Lagos’ fastest-growing corridors.

Critics, however, note that informal transport remains a backbone of daily commuting for thousands of residents. Abrupt enforcement without adequate absorption of displaced drivers could exacerbate economic hardship for affected operators.

Many commuters expressed frustration over the disruption caused by the protest but also sympathized with the drivers. “It’s difficult for us because we rely on these buses every day,” said a commuter stranded at Ajah. “The government and the drivers need to find a middle ground.”

As of press time, authorities had restored calm, but the incident underscores the growing tensions between informal transport operators and the Lagos State Government’s efforts to formalize the transport system.

Korope Drivers Shut Down Lekki–Epe Expressway Over Lagos Ban

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Korope Drivers Shut Down Lekki–Epe Expressway Over Lagos Ban (Video)

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Tinubu Urges Senate to Confirm Yusuf for NAHCON, Marafa for INEC

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February 18, 2026

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Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf

Tinubu Urges Senate to Confirm Yusuf for NAHCON, Marafa for INEC

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the Nigerian Senate to swiftly confirm the nominations of Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf as Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and Rear Admiral Jemila Abubakar Marafa (retd.) as a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The move underscores the administration’s focus on strengthening leadership in key federal institutions ahead of critical national events.

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