The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), charged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Saturday to shelve its planned nationwide protest.
This, according to the AGF, is because the conduct of the planned nationwide strike amounts to gross contempt and affront to the institution of the courts of law.
News About Nigeria reported that the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), in a joint letter on February 16, announced a nationwide protest scheduled for February 27 and 28, 2024.
The protests, according to the workers, were because of the current economic challenges bedevilling the country.
Reacting to the planned protests in a letter addressed to the counsel for the NLC, Femi Falana (SAN), dated February 23, 2024, made available to newsmen today, the AGF reminded the NLC of a subsisting order restraining the union from embarking on any industrial action.
In the letter, Fagbemi noted that since the unions have a pending case on the same issue in court, they have no right to protest over it until the court rules on it.
The statement partly reads, “You may wish to note that the foregoing issues or objectives are at the core of the pending case before the National Industrial Court. Upon the submission of grievances to the court, parties in the suit cannot resort to public protests over the same issues, as such conduct amounts to gross contempt and affront to the institution of our courts of law.
“Therefore, the proposed nationwide protest action in all ramifications is in clear violation of the pending interim injunctive order granted in SUIT NO: NICN/ABJ/158/2023-FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA & ANOR V. NIGERIAN LABOUR CONGRESS & ANOR on 5th June 2023 restraining both NLC and TUC from embarking on any industrial action or strike of any nature.”
Fagbemi therefore tasked the lead counsel for the organised labour, Falana, to enjoin his clients to shelve the planned protests as it is against the law.
