UPDATED: Appeal Court Orders ASUU To Call Off Strike

The Court of Appeal has ordered the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off their ongoing strike before it can grant the union’s request to appeal the ruling of the National Industrial Court.

The court gave ASUU seven days to file an appeal after adhering to the ruling of the Industrial Court.

The Appeal Court granted the union, “conditional leave to appeal the order of the Industrial Court, while insisting that ASUU must obey the order of the lower court with effect from today, October 7.”

It warned ASUU that failure to resume would make the appeal incompetent before the court.

The Industrial Court had on September 21 granted the motion filed by the Federal Government and ordered ASUU to call off the strike.

Ruling on the application, the trial judge, Justice Polycarp Hamman, considered the effect of the strike action by ASUU on the lives of the students.

The judge said in the interest of justice and fairness to all, he would grant the federal government’s request.

He agreed that the FG who is the owner of federal universities stands to lose more if the application is not granted.

“Students have been out of school for 7 months in Nigeria where age is a factor in employment,” he said.

The judge added that the National Youth Service Corps even bars graduates aged 30 from going for youth service.

“I, therefore, hold that the balance of convenience tilts in favor of granting the application,” the judge said.