Industrial Court Reverses Gov Obaseki’s Order Banning Union Activities In Tertiary Institutions

By Ayodele Oni

The National Industrial Court, (NICN) sitting in Benin City, Edo state has reversed the decision by Governor Godwin Obaseki to ban union activities in state owned tertiary institutions.

Justice A. A. Adewemimo declared that the June 8, 2022 directive of the Edo State Government which suspended trade unions’ activities in state owned tertiary institutions in Edo State is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.

This was contained in his judgement in suit No: NICN/BEN/41/2022 filed by Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) against the Governor of Edo State, Edo State Government and the Attorney General of Edo State as defendants.

Justice Adewemimo held that the suspension order of the state government was an infringement on the rights of members of SSANU, NAAT and NASU as guaranteed by the Constitution and Trade Union Act.

Consequently, the court declared the directive of the Edo State Government, which suspended trade unions’ activities in tertiary institutions in the State, as unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.

Obaseki had on June 8, 2022 directed the suspension of trade unions’ activities in Ambrose Alli University, (AAU) Ekpoma and other state-owned tertiary institutions. The suspension order affected the activities of SSANU, NAAT and NASU in the University.

Vexed by the order, SSANU, NAAT and NASU in a joint suit challenged the legality of the suspension, praying the court to declare that the decision of the Governor Godwin Obaseki to suspend the activities of the unions in the University was not in consonance with the provisions of the Trade Union Act, as amended and, therefore, illegal, unlawful and of no effect whatsoever.

They also prayed the court to declare the action of Governor Obaseki as interference in the affairs of trade unions in the university, even as the unions sought for an order of injunction restraining the governor and others in carrying out the suspension of union activities in the university.

Justice Adewemimo, in the judgment, granted all the prayers sought by SSANU, NAAT and NASU.Industrial Court Reverses Gov Obaseki’s Order Banning Union Activities In Tertiary Institutions