The Nigeria industrial court sitting in Abuja has adjourned till Friday the suit filed by the Ministry of Labour against the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The Minister of Labour Chris Ngige had urged the court to intervene and compel ASUU to end its seven months long strike that has paralysed educational activities in the federal universities and others affiliated institutions. The Ministry of Education is joined as a claimant.
When the matter came up before Justice Polycarp Hamman , Ebunolu Adegoruwa, SAN, told the court that he was representing the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, which had filed a suit on the same matter in the same court, NICN/ABJ/269/2022. Adegoruwa urged the court to allow SERAP to join as defendant in the case.
However, lawyer to the Ministry of Labour T.A Gazali, SAN, argued that there was no need for SERAP to join in since it did not have its name on the cause list.
Mr Femi Falana, SAN, counsel to ASUU, in his response, informed the court that both counsel had informed him on Monday that they were both filing some papers.
Falana, in addition, urged the court to step down the matter to enable both counsel to file their papers and then return at a later date after which he would have responded to the claimant’s process.
Justice Herman then adjourned the matter until Friday, for further mention. (With Punch Reports)