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ÀSUU strike persists as Industrial Court adjourns to Sept 19 for judgement
The strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) persists as the National Industrial Court on Friday adjourned to September 19 for delivery of judgment on the suit by the Federal Government seeking an order of the court to compel ASUU to end the seven months strike and resume work.
The case was first mentioned on Monday before Justice Polycarp Hammanhen, then, adjourned to Friday for further mention.
On resumption of hearing on Friday, J.U.K Igwe SAN told the court that its directive on Monday that the claimant should file its process latest by Tuesday, has been complied with and that they filed two processes.
Igwe said that the first is motion on notice dated and filed Monday for an interlocutory injunction. He added that the claimant also filed on the same date an affidavit of facts in support of the referral sent by the Minister of Labour and Employment.
The counsel stated that the defendant had been served with proof of service before the court.
Igwe noted that millions of students have been at home since February14.
Counsel to ASUU, Femi Falana, SAN, acknowledged receiving process from the claimant, saying that they were already filing their reply in the court’s registry.
Falana argued 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 notified the court that ASUU will be meeting stakeholders in the House of Representatives on September 20 to ensure that the matter is resolved.
Counsel to Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Ebuolu Adegoruwa SAN, raised the issue of joinder and consolidation of the suit, citing section 36 of the 1999 constitution to fair hearing. He requested the court to invoke the cited section in SERAP’s favour to be joined in the suit as a defendant, urging the court to take his application to that effect before entertaining any other application in the suit
Adegoruwa said relief 3 of their application is for stay of further proceeding for the court to determine whether or not they will be a party in the suit.
He stated that the process had been served on the claimant on Thursday.
The court said that the application for interlocutory injunction will be taken first on September 19 by 11.00am, and adjourned the matter to September 19, for hearing.