Court Nullifies Obaseki’s Suspension Of Union Activities In Universities

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Benin City, Edo State capital, has declared that the June 8, 2022 directive of the state government suspending trade unions’ activities in tertiary institutions in the state as unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.

Recall that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Ambrose Alli University chapter, had approached the NICN through its lawyer, Kingsley Obamogie, in a suit No: NICN/BEN/40/2022, to challenge the directive of Governor Godwin Obaseki suspending all unions in the state’s tertiary institutions.

The suit had the ASUU chairman, AAU chapter, Dr Cyril Onogbosele, and Assistant Secretary, Dr William Odion, as claimants; while Obaseki, the state Attorney General, and the Edo State government, were the defendants.

The ASUU, AAU chapter, also wanted the court to declare that “the order or directive of the defendants for the suspension of trade union activities at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma as unconstitutional, illegal, null and void and same is ultra vires the powers of the defendants.

“A declaration that the defendants have no power whatsoever to interfere or intermeddle with the claimants’ exercise of their rights, as members of a registered trade union, Academic Staff Union of Universities to engage in trade union activities at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.