Court grants leave to NASS, PASAN to settle dispute

                             
The National Industrial Court on Thursday granted leave to the National Assembly (NASS) and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), to explore the possibility of settling out of court.

At the resumed hearing of pending applications, the claimant’s counsel, Mr Anthony Ameh and counsel to the fourth and fifth defendants, Mr Charles Yoila, counsel to the fourth and fifth defendant both said they had motions before the court.

Ameh’s motion, seeking to amend his processes was granted by Justice Sanusi Kado.

The judge equally granted Yoila’s application to enter memorandum of appearance when the other counsel did not object to the application.


Ameh, the claimants counsel thereby informed the court that the parties were already exploring the possibility of settling the matter out of court.

The counsel said that the Memorandum of Settlement was almost ready.

He also asked for an adjournment to enable them fine tune the document and file it before the court.

Adegoke Omoloja, counsel to the first, second and third defendants and Yoila confirmed that, that was their position also.

Kado adjourned the matter until April 8, for adoption of terms of settlement.

News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, had dragged the union before the court seeking an order to restrain its members from closing down the National Assembly.

The duo, in their suit via a motion ex-parte filed on Dec.18, 2018, also sought an order of the court, restraining PASAN from proceeding on strike, pending the determination of the motion on notice before the court.

NAN recalls that the union had embarked on a warning strike and threatened to shut down the parliament to push for the payment of allowances allegedly owned its members.


The authority of the assembly had approached the court seeking an order barring the union from taking such actions.

Joined in the suit as co-defendants, are the Chairman and Secretary of PASAN, the Clerk and Deputy Clerk of National Assembly.