Saraki, Dogara sue NASS workers over strike

Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara

Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara have sued National Assembly workers for embarking on an industrial action over unpaid allowances.

In an ex-parte motion issued by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja, and signed by the assistant chief registrar Hauwa Yakubu, Messrs Saraki and Dogara sought a restraining order stopping the workers under the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) from proceeding on strike.

This development comes after the group called off its four-day warning strike action on Thursday.

PASAN chairman Musa Muhammed had said that the decision to call off the strike was based on assurances from the National Assembly management to meet their demands, which includes 28% increment in the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS).

However, the order of interim injunction issued through suit No. NICN/ABJ/360/2018 dated 18th December, 2018 directed the leadership of PASAN and their agents to refrain from proceeding on strike.

“An order of interim injunction restraining all the defendants /respondents, particularly their agents, provides, servants, however called from taking steps to proceed or proceeding on strike, pending the determination of the motion.

“An interim injunction restraining PASAN, their agents, privies, servants from giving directives to their members to proceed or proceeding on strike,” the order stated.

The striking workers were stopped from gaining access to the National Assembly on Wednesday when President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2019 appropriation bill.