By Moses John
Abuja
Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has said that it would not hesitate to institute a legal action against state governments who refused to implement the Federal High Court, Abuja, judgement on the autonomy of the judiciary.
National President of JUSUN, Comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu, who made this disclosure in Abuja shortly after an emergency meeting with national officers of the union, said the action became necessary considering the body language of some state governments towards the implementation of the court judgement.
He said the union had notified the team of its lawyers to approach the court to freeze the account of such state governments, since it was the same court that gave an order that had been neglected.
According to him, the suspension of strike in Enugu, Niger, Kogi, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Delta and Bayelsa were ratified because it met the guidelines set by the Union.
It would be recalled that the union suspended it nationwide strike at the federal level following a memorandum of understanding reached with federal government, “hence it directed its states chapters to do same if there is an understanding on the implementation of the judgement.”
The JUSUN president while lamenting the action of some state governments on the ongoing strike, said it was sad for Jigawa state to withhold January salary of its members, stressing that the union would do all within the ambit of the law to challenge any intimidation of its members.
He added that the discussions going on by the monitoring committee and the Governments of Taraba, Borno, Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Kaduna, Ekiti, Ogun and Oyo states should go on, adding that “suspension of strike in these states must be after a written reasonable agreement with an endorsement by a national officer of the union.”
He said states where agreements had not been signed “and there are no ongoing discussions should remain resolute and committed to the actions as they enjoy the full backing of the national headquarters.”
“States facing various threats and intimidations from their state governments, including non-payment of salaries are to continue with the struggle as the union among other opinions is considering taking appropriate legal action to address each case on its merit.”