The Academic Staff Union of Universities has sued the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, over the suspension of all union activities in the state-owned institutions of higher learning.
The Edo State Government at its State Executive Council meeting, on June 8, 2022, suspended all union activities across all state-owned institutions of higher learning.
The Ambrose Alli University branch of ASUU, in a suit filed against the governor at the National Industrial Court sitting in Benin, argued that the suspension of union activities by the governor, was unconstitutional, null and void, and beyond the powers of the defendants.
Also joined in the suit are the state government and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in the state.
The plaintiffs, Dr Cyril Onogbosele and Dr William Odion, asked the court to determine whether the state government and other defendants in the suit, have the power under Section 40 of the Constitution and Section 35(3) of the Trade Unions Act, to suspend or prohibit trade union activities in AAU.
The claimants, therefore, urged the court to declare the ban as “unconstitutional, illegal, null and void and same is ultra vires the powers of the defendants.”