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JUSUN Strike: Governors, Speakers, Buhari’s CoS Meet
Representatives of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the Conference of Speakers of State Assemblies, on Thursday, met with President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, in Abuja, over the ongoing nationwide strike of judiciary workers.
Speaking with State House reporters at the end of the meeting which held at Mr Gambari’s office at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, who is also the Deputy Chair of the NGF, appealed to the striking workers to call off their strike in the interest of the nation.
The governors along with the Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, had earlier postponed a meeting scheduled to be held with the leadership of the striking workers indefinitely on Thursday.
Judiciary workers had embarked on the indefinite nationwide strike on April 6 in protest against the denial of the judiciary of financial autonomy especially by state level.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Tambuwal told reporters that the governors had met with the speakers and the Chief Judges of various states, and would continue to engage the leadership of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria over the strike
“We’ve just finished talking to the Speakers, and indeed the State Chief Judges, and the Judiciary, to continue to engage and the Minister of Labour is also engaging with the striking bodies to appeal to them, to appreciate the fact that we have made progress.
“We’re appealing to them in the interest of this country, they should call off the strike”, he said.
According to the governor, a lot of progress had been made in the negotiations and hopefully the matter would be put to rest by next week.
“We’re here with the chairman and leadership of the Speakers’ Conference. The Solicitor General of the Federation, and SSA to Mr President on Niger Delta, who has been a member of the Technical Committee on the implementation of the autonomy of state legislatures and the judiciary.
“Together with the Chief of Staff to the President, we have just finished a meeting on how to put finishing touches and dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s, on the final implementation of the financial autonomy of the state legislatures and the judiciary.
“We have made reasonable progress and we have agreed, after receiving the final report of the technical committee, to meet on Monday, because of the urgency of the matter and finally, resolve whatever issues are there,” he said.
He also expressed the commitment of those in leadership positions to build viable institutions for the country.
“Well, I can assure you that all of us are committed to building institutions, particularly our parliaments and the judiciary in our respective states, as democratically elected governors, and we are doing whatever it takes to make sure that the issues are resolved.
“As I told you before, some of the issues are constitutional and when matters have to do with the constitution, you have to be sure of what you’re doing that you’re actually following the Constitution,” he said.
Mr Tambuwal said the governors had always been in support of the autonomy of state legislature and judiciary.
He added, “From the very beginning, during the 8th Assembly, under the leadership of Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Dogara, the NGF under Abdulaziz Yari then, met with them and supported the financial autonomy for the state legislatures and the judiciary.
“And that is why with that support, we were able to achieve the passage of this amendment by the National Assembly and the state legislatures across the country.
“So, the governors are unequivocally in support of the autonomy of these institutions.’’
JUSUN had scaled up its battle for financial autonomy after it obtained a court judgment affirming the constitutional provisions granting financial autonomy to the judiciary in January 2014.
In their bid to ensure compliance with the judgment, the workers embarked on a protracted three weeks nationwide strike in January 2015.
They had called off the strike after governors and other stakeholders made commitments to meet workers’ demands, pledges that were largely jettisoned.
(NAN)
Lawyers representing Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan have issued a fresh demand to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that their client must be served with the recall petition and all supporting documents within 24 hours.
In a letter addressed to the INEC Chairman, the legal team from J.S. Okutepa SAN & Co. reminded the commission that they had previously written on March 24 and March 25, 2025, requesting service of the petition.
However, they noted that no action had been taken.
“Several days have passed since our communication to your office on the urgency of the matter,” they stated, emphasising that withholding the petition could create “negative impressions in the minds of the public and affected persons, when this could easily have been avoided.”
Citing the case of Senator Dino Melaye & 7 Ors. Vs. Independent National Electoral Commission & 3 Ors. (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/567/2017), the lawyers stressed that for the recall process to proceed, INEC must serve the affected senator with the necessary documents.
“For a recall process to proceed, the 1st Defendant should serve on the 1st Plaintiff a copy of the petition, together with all the documents accompanying it,” they quoted from the ruling.
The legal team listed the required documents, including “the recall petition, the schedule of signatures attached to the petition, and the full list of persons in support of the recall process,” which were explicitly referenced in the petition.
According to the letter, failure to comply within 24 hours would be seen as an attempt to “undermine the fundamental right of our client to be served the petition said to have been received by your commission.”
“We hope that your commission is not allowing itself to be used in sabotage.
“We therefore reiterate, that you cause the said petition and all attachments to be served within 24 hours from the date of this letter,” the letter added, urging INEC to uphold fairness and due process.
The Rivers State Government has suspended all political office holders and appointees with immediate effect.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), listed the affected officers as follows:
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG)
The Chief of Staff
All Honourable Commissioners
Chairmen and members of boards, councils of agencies, commissions, institutions, and parastatals
All Special Advisers, Special Assistants, and Senior Special Assistants
The statement further directed the suspended officials to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries in their respective ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
In cases where no Permanent Secretary is in place, the most senior Director or Head of Administration is to take over.
This directive takes effect from Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has withdrawn from the case filed by the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against the leadership of the senate.
Justice Egwuatu, recused himself from the matter on Tuesday after lawyers to the parties in the suit announced their appearances.
He said he was stepping down from the matter because of the petition written by Senate President Godswilll Akpabio, alleging he was biased.
The presiding judge said he would will return the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, so the matter could be reassigned to another judge.
Justice Egwuatu had on March 4, given an an interim order that stopping the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions from going ahead with the disciplinary proceedings started against t Akpoti-Uduaghan who was alleged to have broken senate rules.
The judge gave the senate leadership 72 hours to show cause why it should not issue an order of interlocutory injunction to stop them from probing the plaintiff for alleged misconduct, without affording her the privileges stipulated in the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
But the Senate Committee still went ahead to hold its sitting where it recommended Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months suspension.
However, the judge later amended the interim order by vacating the aspect that stopped the Senate from from taking any action pending the outcome of the suit.
