Nigerian lawyer and Human right activist, Femi Falana said the Federal Government was wrong to have sued the Academic Staff Union of Universities at the National Industrial Court.
Falana who made this assertion on Channels TV on Friday said the FG cannot refer a case to the NIC without going through the Industrial Arbitration Panel.
The Counsel to ASUU in the ongoing legal battle with FG said the NIC discarded the motion when he raised it during the court hearing.
Falana who said ASUU will be filing an appeal against the NIC ruling ordering the striking varsity members to return to classes said this is the first time the NIC will permit the Minister of the Federation to refer a case to it without going through the IAP.
According to the eschew legal practitioner, the NIC under the current labour law of Nigeria is an appellate court.
Falana argued, “This is the first time in the history of that court (National Industrial Court) that we have been told that the Minister can refer a case to the National Industrial Court without going through the IAP because the NIC under the current law labour regime in Nigeria is an appellate chamber of the IAP, so, it is an appellate court.”
When asked. ‘So, it was wrong to have an arbitration and go to the industrial court’, Falana said, “Of course.”
He added, “We tried to explain to the court, and the court said Mr Falana we will look at that later”
