Court Declines to Hear FG's Lawsuit Seeking to Stop ASUU Strike

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The federal government may have suffered another setback as the industrial court with which it had filed a case to obtain an order directing the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to suspend its ongoing strike, declined to hear the case application.

The presiding judge, Justice Polycarp Hamman, refused to hear the case after ASUU's lawyer, Femi Falana kicked against the application which according to him, cannot be taken because the business for the day is for ''further mention''.

The lawyer representing the federal government, James Igwe, tried to persuade the court to hear its application which he claimed is a matter of national interest as millions of students have been at home since February 14 due to the prolonged closure of public universities in the country.

However,  ASUU lawyer explained that the union will be meeting with stakeholders, including members of the house of representatives on September 20, to settle the issue, hence the federal government should exercise patience.

Ruling on the case, Justice Polycarp said he would not hear the application since the matter was slated for further hearing. He added that the application for an interlocutory injunction, which has an affidavit of urgency, would be heard first at the next sitting.