By John Ikani
The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, has suspended its strike action that paralysed judicial activites across the federation for over two months, Vanguard reports.
JUSUN had on April 6, ordered its members across the federation to shut all courts in the country to press home its demand for implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary.
A source at the Supreme Court confirmed to Vanguard on Wednesday that JUSUN’s decision to suspend the strike action was due to the intervention of both Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad and the National Judicial Council, NJC.
When he was contacted, media aide to the CJN, Mr. Ahuraka Isah, further confirmed the report, adding that JUSUN has already directed its members to resume work on Monday.
It will be recalled that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has earlier approached the CJN to seek his intervention in the matter.
“Upon being briefed by the Minister on the negotiation level so far, the CJN then requested the JUSUN to call off the strike in the interest of the nation and the larger interest of justice.
“The CJN added that it would also allow opportunity for further negations towards the resolution of the dispute.
“Besides, the CJN observed that some of the issues in contention are already sub judice, as such there is need to give requisite legal process enough opportunity to be exhausted”, Isah stated shortly after Justice Muhammad’s meeting with the Labour Minister.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on May 22, 2020, signed into law, an Executive Order that granted financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary across the 36 states of the federation.
The order equally mandated the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct from source, any amount due to state legislatures and judiciaries from the monthly allocation to each state, for states that refuse to comply with the Executive Order.
However, following the failure of most state governors to comply with the order, JUSUN, embarked on the strike action to demand full financial autonomy for the judiciary.
The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, equally threw its weight behind JUSUN’s action, even as lawyers staged peaceful protests across the federation.
