Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has vowed to appeal a court ruling which directed the union to call off its nationwide strike.
Gatekeepers News reports that ASUU has been on strike since February 14 over the federal government’s failure to meet its demands bordering on the funding of universities as well as salaries and allowances of lecturers.
Several meetings between ASUU and the federal government have ended in deadlock. The government dragged the union to the national industrial court to challenge the strike.
On Wednesday, the Judge, Polycarp Hamman granted the federal government’s application for an interlocutory injunction to restrain ASUU from continuing with the strike.
The judge ordered members of the union to resume work pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
He held that the strike is detrimental to public university students who cannot afford to attend private tertiary institutions.
Counsel to ASUU, Femi Falana said the ruling would be challenged at the court of appeal.
Similarly, ASUU’s National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke said, “Our lawyer is filing an appeal and stay of execution of the ruling. Our members should remain calm and strong. A people united can never be defeated.
“If the FG believes that this is the best way to solve the problem, good for them. They have denied Nigerian children their rights. Nigeria has a country is going to be punished for what the FG has just done,” he said.
“You can be sure that thousands of my colleagues will leave this country. The last time we had this kind of treatment was during the military era.”
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has also condemned the ruling, describing it as a betrayal of equity.
Giwa Temitope, NANS national public relations officer, said the court’s decision does not offer a permanent solution to the dispute and that lecturers cannot be forced to resume their duties.
