From Benjamin Babine, Abuja
The Nigeria Union of Teachers have debunked claims by the acclaimed Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) that a supreme court judgement was passed empowering them to unionize secondary school teachers.
In a press conference on Thursday, the leadership of the NUT said the claims are deceptive, false and are a misrepresentation of the Supreme Court judgement of January 15, 2021. It also urged secondary school teachers not to be deceived by the claims of the breakaway faction.
The NUT further stressed that no new trade union has been officially registered as Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), saying that it’s just a faction of aggrieved NUT members led by one Mr Samuel Omaji.
The Deputy National President of the NUT, Mr. Kelvin Nwankwo, said: “The National leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) unequivocally lay bare and throw light on the deliberate mischief, misinterpretation and falsehood being circulated on various print, electronic media and blog platforms that the Supreme Court on the 15th January, 2021 delivered Judgment granting Secondary School Teachers a new Trade Union known as Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS). This is rather strange and unfounded. May we promptly state that ASUSS is not registrable as a Trade union.
“To the best of our knowledge, the subject matter on appeal is ASUSS vs NUT, which was before the Supreme Court bordering on the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to grant the restraining order sought by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) against the Hon. Minister of Labour and Productivity to unilaterally register a Trade Union contrary to the provisions of Ss. 3(2), 5 (4) of the Trade Union Act CAP. T14 LFN 2004.”
Further giving clarification, he said the Supreme Court in its lead judgment held that the panel that ruled on the case at the Appeal Court was not competent and directed that the case be sent back the Appeal for readjudication.
“Therefore, we urge all well-meaning diligent and hardworking Secondary School Teachers, not to fall prey to the media stunts and ill-fated propaganda employed by the drowning leaders of the seif-acclaimed ASUSS aimed at deceiving unsuspecting Secondary School Teachers, into believing that ASUSS is competent to unionize Secondary School teachers when they are not,” he said.
NUT had originally challenged ASUSS at the High Court for parading itself as a trade union with secondary school teachers as members and the court ruled in NUT’s favour. ASUSS appealed the judgment till it got to the Supreme Court. The apex court has now referred both parties back to the Court of Appeal for the appellate court to decide whether the Federal High Court had the jurisdiction to hear the matter in the first instance.