By Abasi Ita, Calabar
An indefinite strike action declared yesterday May 2, 2023, having been triggered by the non-implementation of a truce reached between the Cross River State chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, and the State Government bordering the financial autonomy of the third tier of government has scuttled the commencement of hearings at the Elections Petition Tribunal earlier slated kick start today.
Members of the Tribunal, litigants, counsels, journalists, and interested members of the public had thronged the premises of the Magistrate Court along Moore Road, Calabar, being the designated venue expecting to witness legal fireworks over grievances arising from the 2023 elections only to be greeted by locked padlocks which barricaded access leaving everyone loitering along the road
Reacting to the development, the Secretary of Tribunal Akawu Bamber opined that, “this is a sad twist, the sitting has been adjourned indefinitely due to the strike, a new date and will be subsequently disclosed”
A competence source confided in SUMMIT Post that the turn of events will compel the Tribunal to relocate its venue outside the state to meet the specified deadline
Speaking, the State Chairman of JUSUN in Cross River State, Comrade Enya Etorti disclosed that “all options have been explored have failed to yield needed result hence the last resort which is the indefinite strike”
He listed their demands to include implementation of the constitutional provisions of the financial autonomy of the judiciary, payment of the 66% balance of Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure (CONJUSS), enrollment of staff excluded from state payroll since 2014 as well as payment of outstanding arrears of salaries
Commenting on the issue, a former Attorney General of the State and PDP Candidate for Ikom Boki House of Representatives Election Attah Ochinke whose petition is among those to be decided by the Tribunal implored the government to harken to the demands of the aggrieved workers to facilitate resolution of the industrial dispute
He hinted that the Nigerian Bar Association , NBA might be invited to wade into the matter to avert disruption of the court calendar
