We Were Not Served Any Court Order, Organised Labour Replies FG

The Organised Labour has said it did not receive any court order stopping its members from going on a nationwide strike.

Recall that the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) issued an interim injunction last Friday to stop members of organised labour and their affiliates from proceeding with the nationwide strike scheduled to commence on November 14.

The President of the court, Justice Benedict Kanyip, issued the order on Friday while ruling on an ex-parte application.

The application was brought before the court by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on behalf of the Federal Government and argued by Tijani Gazali (SAN), Acting Director (Civil Appeals), Federal Ministry of Justice.

Justice Kanyip said the order shall subsist until the determination of a motion on notice for interlocutory injunctions equally filed by the AGF.

Despite the court order, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on Monday directed its members to commence mobilisation for a nationwide strike over the assault on the NLC President, Joe Ajaero.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, the TUC President, Festus Osifo, denied receiving any court order stopping the industrial action.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) President claimed that the federal government went to “shop” for a court injunction on the eve of the strike instead of addressing their grievances.

Osifo also knocked the government for allegedly violating court orders on several occasions while expecting other institutions to obey the judiciary.

He recalled that the government and the Department of State Services (DSS) violated court orders directing the release of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, from the custody of the secret police when he was detained before he was eventually freed after about five months.

He said: “Yes, we don’t have a service on the court order, but we have a government today who perpetually does not obey court orders. When DSS was holding Emefiele, how many court orders were passed for Emefiele to be released? Countless number of them.”

The labour leader further said once the unions receive a court order on the ongoing strike, they would liaise with their lawyers and take a decision.

He added: “We have a state that refuses to obey court orders. You now expect others to obey court orders but once we see it, we are responsible institutions; we will not say because the Federal Government continuously violate court institution, we will examine it and if it is the right thing for us to do, yes, we will.”