The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has approached the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, to challenge the National Industrial Court, NIC, which ordered it to call off its over seven-month old strike action.
The union, in a 14-ground of appeal lodged through its team of lawyers led by a frontline human rights activist, Femi Falana, is praying court to set aside the judgement, to grant its stay of execution application.It will be recalled that the NIC had in a judgement that was delivered Wednesday by Justice Polycarp Hamman, ordered the striking varsity lecturers to return to the classroom, pending the determination of a suit the Federal Government (FG) filed to query the legality of their strike action.
The interim injunction directing ASUU members to resume work, followed an application FG filed through its lawyer, James Igwe.Justine Hamman in the ruling held that the order was both in national interest and for the sake of undergraduates in the country that have been at home since February 14.
He held that the strike action was detrimental to public university students that cannot afford to attend private tertiary institutions.“The balance of convenience tilts in favour of the applicant.
“I hold that this application is meritorious and this application is granted”, Justice Hamman then ruled.