Nigerian University Lecturers, ASUU Suspends Eight-Month-Old Strike

Nigerian University Lecturers, ASUU Suspends Eight-Month-Old Strike

An official circular would soon be released.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has suspended its eight-month-old protracted strike after an overnight National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja.

Authoritative sources confirm the suspension of the strike, adding that an official circular would soon be released.

“Yes, we have suspended the strike. That was the NEC decision. The President will release an official circular in the morning,” a top source said.

Our correspondent had reported on Thursday that the NEC meeting was convened to allow them take the final decision on the protracted eight-month-old strike.

It was also reported on Tuesday that members of ASUU voted on Tuesday and Wednesday at their branches over their resolution on the ongoing industrial action.

A top source had said, “We got the directive after the meeting with the speaker yesterday (Monday). The intervention was timely. Branches will vote between today and tomorrow after which the decisions will be convened to the NEC.”

The union’s new decision is sequel to the meeting between the leadership of the union and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who called several meetings to intervene between ASUU and the Nigerian government.

Femi Falana (SAN), the lead counsel for ASUU earlier explained that the strike which started on February 14 this year would be called off in a few days.

There had been several meetings between the ASUU leadership and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige who represents the Nigerian Government but after what he described as “failed negotiations,” the government sued ASUU at the National Industrial Court.

In its ruling on September 21, the National Industrial Court granted the motion on notice filed by the Nigerian government and ordered ASUU to end the strike and return to the classroom immediately.

The trial judge, Justice Polycarp Hamman, while ruling on the interlocutory injunction, restrained ASUU from continuing with the strike pending the determination of the suit filed against the union by the Nigerian government.

But ASUU, not satisfied with the ruling of the National Industrial Court, appealed the judgment at the Court of Appeal, where it also filed a stay of execution of the ruling of the NIC.

However, the Court of Appeal upheld the ruling of the lower court and ordered the striking lecturers to “immediately” call off the strike and resume work with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, the Appeal Court noted that ASUU has the right to appeal the decision of the industrial court.

The Appeal Court panel agreed with the Nigerian government’s argument that ASUU cannot approach the appellate court with “dirty hands”, saying, “should the applicant fail to obey the order (of the lower court), the leave granted shall be automatically vacated

The national industrial court however, ordered the lecturers back to work.

The ruling was appealed at the appellate court in Abuja but was however not granted hearing as the judge ordered ASUU to obey first the ruling of the lower court.