The National Industrial Court has rescheduled hearing of the case of the federal government against the strike by the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) till September 16.
Justice Polycarp Hamman adjourned the case to allow parties file necessary papers. He declined application to be joined filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and rejected its lawyer’s request for the consolidation of the case with an earlier one filed by the group.
At the mention of the case, SERAP’s lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), said his client seeks to be made a party in the suit with the possibility of having it consolidated with the one the group earlier filed.
Adegboruwa said SERAP filed a similar suit, seeking among others, to compel the Federal Government to honour its 2009 agreement with the striking lecturers.
He added: “We filed a similar suit on 8 September, asking the court to compel the Federal Government to honour an agreement it willingly entered into with ASUU.”
Adegboruwa said his client’s request to be made a party to the suit was to forestall duplicity of outcomes concerning the industrial dispute.
Lawyer to the Federal Government, Tijani Gazali (SAN) raised an objection to SERAP’s request for the consolidation of both cases.
Gazali contended that SERAP’s application was premature because the case was fixed for mention on Monday.
Femi Falana (SAN), on behalf of ASUU said he was aware of efforts by the lawyers to file necessary documents on Monday.
The federal government had dragged the university teachers to the industrial court as a way of compelling them to call off the over six months old strike they embarked on in February.
