Federal Ministry of Labour, Court Did Not Cancelled Approval of ASUSS as Trade Union- Comrade Omaji
19 February, 2021
….. Cautions NUT Against Misinformation
The National Leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary School (ASUSS) has dispelled the sponsored story of cancellation of approval of the ASUSS as a trade union either by the Ministry of Labour and Employment or any competent court of jurisdiction, saying such information is coming from the imagination of fifth columnist.
In a Press Statement released by the National Headquarter of the union signed by the National President, Comrade Samuel Omaji and National Secretary-General, Comrade Sola Adigun condemned the desperation of NUT in rubbishing the resounding judgement delivered by the Supreme Court in favour of the union.
” It is an incontrovertible fact that the Supreme Court judgment of 15th January 2021 was in favour of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) Nigeria as it sets aside and nullified the Court of Appeal judgment of July 11 2014″.
The President said that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment or any court of competent jurisdiction has not cancelled the approval of ASUSS as a trade union as the rival union, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) wants the general public to believe.
Comrade Omaji expressed disappointment over the series of reactions by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) consequent to the Supreme Court judgment.
” Obviously, it was not our intention to trade words with anybody on a matter which baseline is constitutional and also due to our belief in the pristine spirit of comradeship but their is need to clear the air and set the record straight for the benefit of the public”.
According to the President, ” It is expedient for us to debunk the falsehoods that were projected by NUT on the Supreme Court judgment of 15th of January 2021 that is still rattling the leadership of the NUT over which they have rigorously inundated the public with different versions of interpretations through heavily sponsored media plan, including features, news items and editorials”.
He said ASUSS emerged as a result of the failure of NUT to serve the interest of the secondary school teachers in Nigeria, adding that the union was approved as a trade union on 19th May, 2008.
He said the fear of the impending doom and total loss of grips is the reason why the NUT crop of leadership has been busy fighting ASUSS while they left their members wallowing in trauma.
” They should never see our belief in a decent and peaceful approach to our liberation as an act of cowardice but as a way to let them realize we can peacefully coexist and synergise for education development”.
He thanked the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige for seeing the genuineness in the union movement for emancipating the Secondary School teachers in Nigeria by granting approval of its registration as a trade union.
He also appreciated the Supreme Court of Nigeria for proving the judiciary as the last hope of the common man by upholding the union appeal in a judgment delivered on 15th January 2021.
He commended the doggedness and commitment of all members of ASUSS across the federation for supporting their course.
He cautioned the present leadership of NUT to stop using abusive words on personalities, saying it is not only obsolete but an indication of a knowledge gap.
