Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has dismissed the statement that its proposed Indefinite industrial action slated to commence on Tuesday 3 October, violates an existing court order, accredited to the Attorney General of the Federation.
NLC went on to say that for the AGF to equate a restraining order to a perpetual injunction, portends danger for Nigeria’s legal/judicial system.
In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and made available to journalists Saturday early morning, the labour said;
P“The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has been reported by most dailies of Friday, September 29 to have said that the proposed strike action slated for October 3rd “is in clear violation of the pending interim injunctive order granted on June 5, 2023, restraining both Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria from embarking on any industrial action or strike pending the hearing and determination of the pending motion on notice…”
“We find it curious that Mr Lateef Fagbemi, a thorough-bred professional could indulge in this kind of talk.”
The statement further said; “We are shocked that Mr Lateef Fagbemi is referring to a restraining order issued on June 5 through motion exparte which the Ministry of Justice in a formal statement had said lapsed due to non-diligent prosecution.
“Which order could Fagbemi be talking about here, we demand to know.
“We similarly, find it necessary to remind Fagbemi that equating a restraining order to a perpetual injuction will do no small damage to our legal/judicial system.
“For once, we find it appropriate to reveal to the world that the court refused to sit during the pendency of the order to take our response to that order!
“Even though we would not want to be drawn into details here, representatives of the Federal Government on the National Steering Committee are on record to have said in the Villa that their mandate did not extend to subsequent increments after the one of N187–N537 thus differentiating between the issues for which the order (that has since run out of time) was issued.
“There are two ministerial portfolios whose offices constitutionally do not admit partisanship in the discharge of their duties.
” These are Minister of Labour and Employment and Minister of Justice. In addition to their regular duties, they are expected to play the umpire role.
“But here we find a Minister of Justice whose first major outing is not only an open partisanship but has descended into the arena with his robe and wig, losing in the process the umpire status!”
