Following the National Industrial Court (NIC) ruling that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) quit their strike and go back to work, ASUU has commented that the industrial court lacks evidence to give such ruling.
ASUU said that the Industrial Court lacks the evidence to back its claims that Nigerian students would lose many lives changing opportunities due to increment of age caused by the ceaseless ASUU strike.
The union made this known in the court documents filed before the Court of Appeal on Friday to challenge the ruling of the National Industrial Court which ordered them to end the lingering strike and resume classes on Wednesday.
The appeal which counsel to ASUU, Femi Falana made available to the public was also accompanied by a request for stay of execution on the ruling by Justice Polycarp Hamman.
The point being made is that, even where the lost academic semesters/sessions are covered upon resumption, the increase in the age of these students who are being deprived of the opportunity to complete their studies as and when due cannot be reversed. Section 2 (2) of the National Youth Service Corps Act for example prohibits any person who is over the age of thirty (30) at the date of graduation from being enlisted into the Service Corps,” the National Industrial court said among other things while delivering its interlocutory judgement.
Reacting, the striking university lecturers contended, “There was no evidence before the lower court about the age of these innocent students being denied of the opportunity to complete their studies.
“Even though the issue of National Youth Service was raised suo motu the Learned Trial Judge did not invite parties to address him on it.
“The Learned Trial Judge made a case for the Respondents by relying on extraneous matters and thereby violated the fundamental right of the Appellant to fair hearing.”
LEADINGREPORTERS Wrote about the intention of ASUU to appeal the judgement of the industrial court following its order for ASUU members to resume work.