The Court of Appeal has fixed today to hear the suit filed by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), seeking a stay of execution of the ruling of the National Industrial Court, which ordered it to call off the strike.

When the matter was called yesterday, counsel to ASUU, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), told the court that he had two applications before the court, but that he wished to withdraw one and the court granted his request.

Falana told the court that he had served the preferred application to the Federal Government and had proof of service.

Counsel to the Federal Government, Mr. James Igwe (SAN), however, told the court that it was the withdrawn application that he had seen and responded to.

He said in the light of the new development, he needed time to respond to the application which he said he intended to oppose.

The presiding judge, Justice Hamma Barka, consequently fixed today to hear ASUU’s application.

Earlier, one of the justices, Justice Biobele Georgewill advised both counsel to meet and evolve a solution to settle the ASUU-FG impasse out of court.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has commended the National Industrial Court for putting the nation’s interest above other considerations in its handling of the dispute between it and ASUU and the National Association of Residents Doctors.

The commendation came through the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, who noted that the court had, on many occasions, saved the country from undue crisis through its deft handling of labour disputes.

Malami, who was represented at the special court session to mark the Industrial Court’s 2022/2023 legal year by the Head, Civil Appeals, Federal Ministry of Justice, Tijani Gazali (SAN), said: “Speaking of the court’s pronouncements in recent times, particularly in the wake of industrial actions embarked upon by both the National Association of Resident Doctors and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, suffice to say, that, indeed, the legal status of any strike action, let alone a protracted one, raises very crucial questions of law, and the approach with which the judges of the National Industrial Court have dealt with the related issues, in making better provision for promoting harmonious relations between workers and their employers is quite laudable. (Daily Sun)

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