From Benjamin Babine, Abuja
The Radio Television Theatre and Art Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) in compliance with the order of the National Industrial Court (NIC) has elongated the tenure of Comrade Kabir Garba led leadership in office.
Speaking to reporters in Abuja on Thursday at an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) of the union, the National President, Comrade Kabir Garba said the meeting ratified the decision of the court to discontinue with the National Delegates Conference (NDC) which was supposed to hold in December 2020.
He said constitutionally, the union holds it’s NDC every four years, but couldn’t do to the court order. He said: “The essence of the emergency NEC meeting of today is to mobilise our activities, in the sense that RATAWU has issues, RATAWU as a discipline union and as a union that believes in constitutions that believes in rules and regulations governing the affairs of the union.
“We are here today to make things happen the way it should be, the National Delegates Conference for RATAWU, was supposed to hold in Zamfara state but a member whom have been expelled from the union on the bases of constitutional bridge took the union to court.
“His expulsion was the NEC decision and over the years he didn’t attend or seek redress through the appropriate organ but rather took the union to court at this particular time when the NDC is approaching.
“Well, we are in court, and the court ordered that the election should be put on hold hence the determination of the suit, meanwhile the status-quo shall remain, meaning we as executive members of the union are to remain there until the case is decided.
“for me as the president, we can’t flout that order, it would amount to court contempt so for us to abide by that decision we are here to obey by ratifying that decision because the NDC is supposed to hold after 4 years, and if in case of any circumstances, we have a duty to come back to formalise the extension of the tenure and that’s why we are here today to formalise the extension until our case is decided in court”.
The NIC sitting in Abuja had asked that status quo ante pending the determination of case against the union by an expelled member of the union, Comrade Bulus Simon.