The Court of Appeal will decide on the suit filed against the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) by the Federal Government on 26th January.
Last September, the government dragged ASUU before the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) over the failure of the union to call off protracted its strike, which eventually last nine months.
Although the NICN ruled in favour of the government and ordered the striking lecturers back to work, the teachers, through their lead counsel, Mr Femi Falana, filed an appeal with 14 grounds before the appellate court.
The government also filed a suit challenging the failure of ASUU to submit its audit report to the government.
The spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr Olajide Oshundun spoke earlier on the issue of the withheld November 2022 check-off dues, hinting that the case was also before the court.
Although the union called off its strike based on the ruling of the Appeal Court, the appellate court will rule on whether the union had the legal grounds for going on strike, and also on the issue of the withheld salaries, which was activated against the lecturers by the Federal Government on the grounds of no-work-no-pay rule.
“The court will hear the matter on 26th January”, a senior member of ASUU’s National Executive Council told newsmen.
There are fears regarding a possible strike action by the union.
Earlier, a former National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi told newsmen that the possibility of a strike this year should not be ruled out.
