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Appeal Court Recommends Out-of-Court Settlement For FG, ASUU Over Strike

Published

2 years ago

Oct 5, 2022.

The Court of Appeal has recommended an out-of-court settlement for the Federal Government and ASUU over the union’s lingering strike.

Eko Hot Blog reports that the appellate court sitting in Abuja suggested an out-of-court settlement to resolve the dispute between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

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Justice Georgewill Biobele Abraham threw the challenge on Wednesday when the FG and ASUU appeared for a hearing in the appeal instituted by ASUU against the judgement of the National Industrial Court.

Recall that the industrial court had ordered the union to call off its eight-month strike in September.

However, ASUU appealed the judgement through its attorney, Femi Falana (SAN).

During Wednesday’s hearing at the appeal court, Justice Abraham suggested 24 hours for the warring parties to have a rethink, sit down and come out with a resolution that would make Nigerians happy.

“There is time for everything, time for war, and time for peace. As Ministers in the temple of justice, we want to see the two of you as senior lawyers encourage and explore amicable settlement of this dispute,” the judge said.

“In fact, we expect to return to this court on Thursday with the good news that the dispute has been thrashed out and all the appreciation of Nigerians will go to you.

“So, talk to your clients to take the interest of the nation into consideration for the sake of our children. As you leave here, go and sit down and talk and resolve the matter.”

Counsel to the Federal Government, James Igwe (SAN) thanked the panel of justices for the admonition and promised to look into the counseling with his colleague.

On his part, Falana said that he had initiated something similar and would be happy to do more on the way out of the strike.

Meanwhile, the court presided over by Justice Barka Hamma Akawu has fixed October 6 for hearing in a motion filed by ASUU for a stay of execution of the judgement of the industrial court pending the resolution of its dispute with the government.

Earlier, Falana had sought to move the motion but the government’s lawyer objected on the ground that he had not been served with the motion dated September 28.

He therefore sought a short adjournment to enable him to respond to the motion.