Court reaffirms order stopping NLC, TUC from embarking on strike

The National Industrial Court in Abuja, on Monday, reaffirmed its earlier order restraining the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) from embarking on its planned nationwide strike.

The judge, Olufunke Anuwe, had issued the order on 5 June, two days before the NLC and the TUC planned to embark on a nationwide strike on 7 June in protest against the federal government’s removal of petrol subsidy.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, the court restated the order, saying it would subsist pending the hearing and determination of an application filed in the case.

The court, in addition, ordered that parties maintain the status quo and adjourned the matter until 20 July for a hearing.

Earlier on Monday, the federal government’s counsel, Ochum Emmanuel, informed the court that the matter was slated for the argument of his team’s application for an interlocutory injunction to restrain the defendants from embarking on the strike.

He added that he was ready to proceed with his application as the defendants had been served.

Marshall Abubakar, the defendant’s counsel, however, said he had filed an application praying the court to set aside its order granted on 5 June, restraining his clients from embarking on strike.

Mr Abubakar further submitted that the claimant (the federal government) was served the application on 8 June only for them to turn around and help them with a counter-affidavit on Monday in court.

He added that the claimant filed the counter-affidavit on 16 June and instructed the bailiff not to serve them until Monday in court.

Upon the judge’s querying the defence’s preparedness for the case, Mr Abubakar asked for a short adjournment to look at the counter-affidavit and respond.

But Mr Emmanuel, in response, opposed Mr Abubakar’s application for an adjournment and urged the court to allow him to take his motion on notice which was slated for hearing.

The counsel also reiterated that the federal government would never file processes in court and instruct any bailiff not to serve the other party.

He argued that it was probably because he filed the processes late on the 16 that made the bailiff serve the defence counsel only in court on Monday.

Mr Emmanuel said the defendants were not properly before the court as they had not filed their memorandum of appearance but only came to urge the court to vacate the order it granted on 5 June.

He stated that the defendants were not properly before the court and could not seek an adjournment.

In addition, he submitted that if the court should deem it fit to grant Abubakar’s application for an adjournment, the court should equally declare that the order restraining the defendants from embarking on strike granted on June 5 subsist.

In his reply, Mr Abubakar submitted that Emmanuel’s application was unnecessary as the court had earlier stated that parties should maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

He also informed the court that parties were meeting later on Monday to try and resolve the issue.

The court, in its ruling, granted the application for adjournment, directed the defendants to enter their memorandum of appearance and instructed parties to maintain the status quo.

The NLC and TUC planned to embark on a nationwide strike on 7 June to protest the fuel subsidy removal that brought about the new pump price for the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

The federal government had, therefore, instituted the suit to stop the defendants, stating that the proposed strike may gravely affect the larger society and the well-being of the nation at large.

The claimant, in addition, stated that the strike is capable of disrupting economic activities that will affect especially the health and the educational sector.

(NAN)