Strike: ASUU files appeal today, says Falana, declares court order rash

The Academic Staff Union of Universities will today (Friday) file an appeal against the ruling of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria that directed it to call off its seven-month strike, the union’s counsel, Femi Falana (SAN), said this in an interview with Channels Television Friday morning.

This came as the union said the court order amounted to a declaration of war against the university lecturers by the Federal Government.

Falana also told the Punch on Thursday, “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.”

The ASUU’s counsel in the interview on the Channels TV monitored by NewsTrends faulted the decision of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria to have entertained the suit filed by the Federal Government without going through Industrial Arbitration Panel.

He also expressed worry over the NICN to quickly issue an order that might not be obeyed without exploring the mechanism of amicable resolution through negotiation and mediation.

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

Justice Polycarp Hamman of the NICN on Wednesday ordered members of the union to go back to work immediately while negotiations between ASUU and FG should continue.

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

This was as 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.

The Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities has said the crisis between the Federal Government and ASUU is not an issue that should be taken to court.

While reacting to the court order asking ASUU to go back to class, the CVCNU chairman, Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo, said, “The matter is not a court issue. A lecturing job is not one you force people to do because it is a knowledge-based job.

“The best is to mutually understand one another. If, as a student, you go to the class now and you are not given knowledge, what will be the outcome? We are pleading that ASUU, FG, and other stakeholders should come together and dialogue and settle it.”