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Govt Can’t Resolve ASUU Crisis With Court Rulings – Falana

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Govt Can't Resolve ASUU Crisis With Court Rulings - Falana

Rulings by courts cannot solve the monumental challenges facing the university system as expressed by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has warned.

Falana said that the recent Industrial Court ruling against ASUU would not solve the monumental crises rocking university education system in Nigeria.

The legal expert mentioned this when he featured on a Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily.

The tussel between the striking lecturers and the Federal Government had turned into a more serious legal issue as the latter had approached the court.

READ ALSO: Constitution Allows Workers To Participate In Politics – Falana

The step resulted in a court judgement by Justice Polycarp Hamman on Wednesday, which ordered the university lecturers to end the strike and return to classrooms.

The judge, who gave the order while ruling on an application filed by the Federal Government, said the strike “has done irreparable damage to the lives of the affected students and the country’s education system.”

He added that the industrial action contravenes the Section 18(1)(2) of the Trade Disputes Act.

However, speaking on the matter , Falana lamented the attitude of the Federal Government towards the demands of the union.

He noted that the court order would amount to nothing if key areas deserving of attention remain abandoned.

The ASUU counsel, therefore, charged Nigerians to persuade the government to do the needful in order to save the life of public universities in Nigeria.

Falana said: “I have my worry about the decision because the National Industrial Court, in cases like this, is expected to promote reconciliation instead of giving orders which were in the past rejected. When workers go on strike and orders are given without issues addressed, then there is a problem. Well, the ruling has been given and ASUU is filing an appeal. That’s the process.

READ ALSO: Govt Wins As Industrial Court Orders ASUU To Suspend Strike

“Having attended schools in Nigeria, I’m sad this avoidable strike persists. The attitude of the government isn’t to address issues leading to the strike in the first place. Successive governments go around trying to destabilize ASUU.

“This regime has a track record of ignoring recommendations by various committees set up to address the matter. The government, if ready, can pick up the documents to sign and call ASUU to call off strike. The government should be persuaded by Nigerians. Of course, the public reactions to the ruling against the union shows the Government is embarrassed.”

 

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‘Governor Abiodun Committed To Rule Of Law, Democracy’

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Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun

The commitment of the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun in Ogun State to ensure the preservation of the rule of law, battle corruption and, protect the tenets of democracy in the country has again been reiterated.

According to a top functionary of the government, apart from prioritising the welfare of the people, the administration is working hard to deepen the people’s beliefs in the nations democratic process.

Kayode Akinmade, a Chief Consultant on Media to the governor, who spoke while answering questions on a television programme on Friday, said as a law-abiding leader, the governor has always taken recourse to the judiciary to seek redress for himself and his administration whenever the need arises, rather than engage in self-help.

Akinmade stressed that the decision of the governor to approach the court over the matter between him and the impeached chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Wale Adedayo, is a demonstration of his belief in the rule of law and his indisposition to ‘rule of force’.

Adedayo appeared before a Magistrate’s Court at Isabo, Abeokuta, on a petition filed by the state government against him over an earlier allegation of diversion of funds meant for Council Areas in the state. Governor Abiodun is insisting that the former Council boss must prove his allegations against his administration or face the wrath of the law for falsely inciting the people against the government.

Adedayo was arraigned on a two-count charge. According to Akinmade, it is wrong for people to rush to accuse the governor of persecuting Adedayo, who according to him, has “severally apologised to the governor in private while continuing with his ill-motivated misinformation in public.”

“The governor believes that taking Adedayo before the court will deepen our democracy and entrench the rule of law.

“Unlike some other people in Governor Abiodun’s shoes who would readily recourse to sending thugs after and unleashing other forms of violence on those who accused them rightly or wrongly, our governor decided to seek redress in court. I think he should be commended by all and sundry for this. What he is doing is giving Adedayo a chance to prove his allegations,” Akinmade said.

On the allegation by the impeached chairman that the governor is behind his removal, Akinmade said Adedayo was already facing removal from office before he raised the false alarms against the governor. “He has already been accused of several impeachable offences before he wrote the letter alleging that the governor diverted council funds. He had already reached out to the governor and other leaders of the party to help him stave off his removal. It was when he realized he may not survive the impeachment move that he connived with some other unscrupulous politicians in the party to malign the governor and discredit the APC in Ogun State,” Akinmade said.

The media chief added that claims by Adedayo that he got zero allocation since he became chairman of his local government were proved wrong by the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) in the state when the House of Assembly looked into his petition. He recalled that other council chairmen in the state also debunked the allegation and even brought Adedayo with them to apologize to the governor for the wrong allegations.

“But in spite of all these, he didn’t stop his scripted plot to tarnish the image of the governor. Hence, Governor Abiodun approached the court for redress,” he added.

Speaking further, Akinmade recalled that the impeached council boss has been in office for more than two years before making his frivolous and unfounded allegations. “One then wonders why he is raising this alarm now. He claimed zero allocation, but he has been collecting his monthly N3 million security votes regularly. Local government staff in his LGA are not being owed, and primary school teachers there are paid as at when due. We all should be asking him to explain what he meant by zero allocation,” he said.

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BREAKING: Kaduna Guber Tribunal Nullifies Election Of Governor Uba Sani

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Kaduna State Governor UBA Sani

The governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Kaduna on Thursday declared the election of Uba Sani of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as inconclusive and thus nullified the exercise.

The tribunal made the declaration while delivering judgement via Zoom in a petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Isah Ashiru, challenging the election of Sani in the March 2023, election.

The tribunal ordered that fresh election be conducted in seven wards in four LGAs of the state.

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In Shakeup Of FCT Administration, Wike Sacks Agencies, Parastatals Heads

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BREAKING: Wike Dares Ayu To Stop Elections Of Ortom, Others
Federal Capital Territory Minister Nysom Wike

In a decisive shakeup of the administration of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), its Minister Nyesom Wike, has sacked the heads of 21 parastatals, agencies, and government companies.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Director of Press, Office of the Minister, Anthony Ogunleye, in Abuja on Wednesday.

Ogunleye identified the affected heads of the agencies as follows:

1. Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abuja Investment Company Ltd

2. CEO/Managing Director, Abuja Markets Management Ltd

3. MD/CEO, Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company

4. CEO/MD, Abuja Property Development Company

5. CEO/MD, Abuja Technology Village Free Trade Zone Company

6. CEO/MD, Abuja Film Village International

7. CEO/MD, Powernoth AICL Equipment Leasing Company Ltd

8. MD, Abuja Broadcasting Corporation

9. MD, Abuja Enterprise Agency

10. General Manager, FCT Water Board

11. Director-General, FCT Emergency Management Agency

12. Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Healthcare Board

13. DG, Hospital Management Board

14. Director, Abuja Environmental Protection Board

15. Director, FCT Scholarship Board

16. Director, FCT Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board

17. Director, Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board

18. Coordinator, Abuja Infrastructure Investment Center

19. Director, FCT Health Insurance Scheme

20. Coordinator, Satellite Towns Development Department

21. Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council

The director of the press said that the affected appointees should hand over the affairs of their offices to the most senior officers in rank.

He added that appointments in the offices would be made in due course.

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