Nigeria — The National Industrial Court of Nigeria's Benin Division has ruled that the suspension of trade unions' activities in Edo State-owned tertiary institutions is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.
The judgment was delivered in a suit filed by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Ambrose Alli University chapter Chairman, Dr Cyril Onogbosele, and the Assistant Secretary, Dr William Odion, on behalf of the union.
The defendants in the suit were the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, the attorney general of the state, and the Edo State government.
Governor Obaseki had, on June 8, directed the suspension of all trade union activities in the state's tertiary institutions. In response, the union approached the court seeking a declaration that the order of the defendants was unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.
Justice of NICN, A.A. Adewemimo held that the state government was wrong to have suspended trade union activities in AAU and other tertiary institutions in the state, and issued a judgment in favour of the plaintiff.
In response to the victory, Dr Onogbosele described the judgment as "a victory for constitutionalism, rule of law, and due process."
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