FG has declared war, we’ll appeal court ruling – ASUU

Striking varsity lecturers under the umbrella of the Academic Staff Union of Universities will on Friday (today) file an appeal against the ruling of the National Industrial Court which directed its members to resume work.

Counsel for ASUU, Femi Falana (SAN), said this on Thursday.

ASUU had been on strike since February 14 to press home its demands for improved funding for universities and a review of salaries for lecturers, among other issues.

Justice Polycarp Hamman on Wednesday ordered the union’s members back to work.

But Falana said, “We are filing the appeal on Friday morning. We just got the certified true copy of the judgment on Thursday. The appeal will be filed first thing Friday morning.”

The Ebonyi State University’s ASUU Chairman, Ikechukwu Igwenyi, on Thursday, said with the court order, the Federal Government has declared “war” against members of the union.

He said the “no work, no pay” policy of the government shows the authorities lack an understanding of the nature of the contract between the lecturers and their employees.

“The NIC ordered ASUU to call off the ongoing strike and return to the classroom with empty stomachs and unpaid bills pending the determination of the suit filed against the union by the Federal Government,” he said in Abakaliki, on Thursday.