The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Thursday warned the Judiciary against granting exparte order capable of compromising the integrity of the courts.
NLC President Comrade Joe Ajaero in a statement said the decision of Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja via an ex parte order to suspend Abure and other national officials of the party.
NLC threatened to mobilise workers in their numbers to storm the court on the next adjourned date over the matter.
The court order, according to Justice Muazu, is to subsist “pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice for interlocutory injuction.”
The ruling was sequel to a motion ex parte filed along the substantive suit by eight so-called aggrieved members of the party, including the chairman of the party in Abure’s ward.
The NLC president said: “We view the decapitation of the leadership of the party with great suspicion which cannot be far from the intent to weaken the party from within or distract it from its fight to reclaim its victories at the polls.
“In light of this, we urge the courts to exercise utmost caution in entertaining frivolous suits and spurious prayers from mercenary party members as they are capable of compromising the integrity of the courts.
“We similarly join the league of those who canvass against the casual use of exparte in light of the grievousness of the injuries they quite often inflict.
“We also note that this extant court order does not only violate the principle of presumption of innocence, a cardinal pillar of our judicial system, it is an affront to justice itself. We find it curious that while ex-convicts continue to occupy ample space in the public service or space without let or hindrance, those yet to be found guilty are already being harangued or hounded are being debarred from holding office.
“Finally, the continued relevance of our courts cannot be divorced from the quality of their decisions or rulings. Accordingly, our courts are advised to refrain from taking decisions which portray them as having descended into the arena, or worse still, make them picketable.”
