Court adjourns ASUU-LASU chairman, deputy case

The National Industrial Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday adjourned until April 18 hearing in the case between the Lagos State University (LASU) and two academic staff of the institution.

Justice Nelson Ogbuanya said the adjournment was to enable counsel to the claimants to file verifying affidavit that did not have NBA stamp and seal.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the claimants are Dr Isaac Oyewunmi and Dr Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu, chairman and deputy chairman of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), LASU chapter.

Ogbuanya gave the claimants seven days to do the needful and serve the counsel to the defendant (LASU) to enable the defence counsel to file their response.

Counsel to the defendant, Mr Adeleke Agboola, had objected a prayer for the hearing of the case, claiming that copies of documents as demanded in previous sittings did not carry MBA stamp.

Ahmed Badamosi, counsel to the claimants, said an order in Suit No: NICN/LA/557/2017, deemed it that the said documents were already filed and served properly.

Following the objection by the defence counsel, Badamosi prayer for an adjournment, which was granted by the Court.

After the court session, Badamosi told NAN that the issues raised in the preliminary objections by the defendants were being resolved.

“We brought a motion to salvage the suit and the court bid to take our application after a ruling and adjourned for continuation of hearing until April 18,’’ he said.

Prof. Olusiji Sowande, the Zonal Coordinator, ASUU Lagos Zone, also told NAN that the union was resolute to follow the case logically.

He said it was sure that the union has a good case.

“Our position on this issue is that our members were unjustly dismissed.

“The pieces of evidence at our disposal proves that the processes leading to the dismissal of the union leaders did not follow due process.

“But since the case is in court, we leave the case to court to decide,’’ he said.

NAN reports that LASU’s Governing Council had on Sept. 8, 2017, dismissed the claimants and 13 other academic staff as well as two non-academic staff.

They were dismissed by the institution’s council at its 115th meeting over various allegations bordering on corruption.