The Court of Appeal in Nigeria on Friday, ordered members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to resume work with immediate effect.
The appellate court gave the order in a ruling on an application by ASUU seeking its permission to appeal against the order of the National Industrial Court which asked the striking lecturers to resume duty.
The industrial court had on September 22, granted an interlocutory order following an application to that effect by the Nigerian Government, ordering university lecturers to return work pending the resolution of their dispute with government.
Dissatisfied by the ruling, ASUU through it’s counsel, Femi Falana, SAN, headed to the appellate court to seek redress.
At the Appeal Court, ASUU filed an application on September 28, seeking the leave of court to file an appeal against the industrial court order.
Justice Hamman Barka in a ruling, granted ASUU “conditional leave to appeal the order of the Industrial Court” insisting that ASUU must obey the order of the lower court with effect from Friday October 7.
The 3-man panel of the Judges gave ASUU seven days to file the appeal.
The Court said, for ASUU to file it’s notice of appeal within the 7 days, it must show evidence that it’s members have resumed work.
“Failure to adhere to the order, will make the appeal incompetent before the Court of Appeal,” the panel unanimously held.
Speaking to newsmen on the ruling, Counsel to Nigerian government, Mr James Igwe, expressed happiness with the ruling, adding that Nigerian students have suffered enough at home and deserves to resume classes.
Also, Mr. Mashal Abubakar, who appeared on behalf of Senior counsel to ASUU, Femi Falana, said that appreciate steps would be taken to ensure that the court order is obeyed.
President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Mr. Usman Umar, urged ASUU to obey the appeal Court ruling and government to do the needful in resolving the industrial disputes.
