What is the way forward for the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU now that the union has been ordered by the National Industrial Court to return to work seems to be the big question on the lips of many Nigerians who have been watching the industrial action which started seven months ago.
The university teachers embarked on strike in February this year and have refused to go back to class until their demands are met by the federal government.
The demands Include payment of salary arrears and increase funding for the nation’s ivory towers.
On its part, the federal government has insisted that it will not pay the lecturers for the period they were on strike in line with its no work no pay policy. The stalemate forced the federal government through the minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige to drag ASUU to the NIC few days ago.
The court has now ruled that the lecturers must return to class pending the detrmination of the substantive matter. Delivering a ruling on the interlocutory injunction filed by the Federal government, Justice Polycarp Hamman restrained ASUU from continuing with the industrial action pending the determination of the suit.
The court ordered “ASUU, whether by themselves, members, agents, privies or howsoever called, from taking further steps and doing any act in continuance of the strike action pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed.”
During a meeting with the Speaker of the House Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila on Tuesday in Abuja, the president of ASUU, Emmanuel Sodeke warned that ordering the striking lecturers to go back to work will be counterproductive.
The union also vowed not obey any court order to return to work.
“If the court forces the lecturers to go to work tomorrow, which type of teaching will they do? If the court forces the Nigerian academics — say go and teach against your will — just like the court forcing a doctor to go and treat a patient against your will, how many of us will go and meet that doctor,” Osodeke said.
The question remains whether the lecturers will now disobey the court order to return to class.
The magazine learnt from competent sources in the union that ASUU executive is trying to convey a meeting shortly to decide a way forward following the court order.
“We are trying to meet so that we can present a unified position on the matter. All the state chapters of the union will be involved in deciding what is to be done next. We are law abiding but the interest of the members will be consider first before taking a decision,” a NEC member of the union told the magazine in Lagos.
But those watching the ongoing event told The Source that it’s a very dicey and challenging situation for the Union following the court order. “The union cannot afford to disobey a valid court order. Secondly, the pressure will be on the union’s executive from their members not to obey the court order. Both ways, the head of its president and other executives are already in the plate. What they do next will make or mar the union,” Banji Ola, a dispute resolution expert said.
He said it’s wrong for the government to weaponised the court to punish the lecturers who have not been paid for months, adding that their are other disputes resolution mechanism other than the judiciary. “You don’t expect them to teach while their families are hungry. A hungry dog is an angry dog,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NAN has been warned by the Kaduna State government not to block the Abuja/ Kaduna expressway, saying such action will lead to the breakdown of law and order.
The students have vowed to continue the blockade of national assets, including all the airports, seaports and major roads across the country until the federal government resolved issues with ASUU.
The angry students had on Monday, blockaded the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos, leading to a serious traffic gridlock on the ever busy road.
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