The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has rebuked Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole for calling the strike by judicial workers illegal.
National President of JUSUN Marwan Mustapha, at the end of the National Executive Council meeting, stated Gov. Oshiomhole could not decide which judgment to obey. He added that the governor had not appealed the judgment on financial autonomy hence, it remains binding on him.
Oshiomhole was quoted: “It is important for the people to appreciate that a cleaner in the office of the chief judge earns better than the cleaner in the office of the governor of Edo State. A cleaner in the office of a judge earns better than a cleaner in a commissioner’s office.
“Administrative officers in the judiciary earn better than administrative workers in the civil service.
“So, I believe we have done something to show the conviction of the very peculiar job of the judiciary, though there can be no justification for treating medical workers of the same qualification differently; but they benefit by reason of the arm of government they work for.
“It hurts therefore that having benefited, and having continued to benefit from a superior compensation system relative to the rest of the civil service, they have chosen to down tools on the basis of issues that are considered completely external to them.
“I think management of finances between the three arms of government is a matter that is better left for the heads of the three arms – the governor, the speaker and the chief judge. Between us we can discuss, as we have always done, on how to deal with matters affecting the arms.
"We cannot surrender the authority of the state to employees who have chosen to use union actions to canvass non-union issues. As a union man, I know what the limits are and I will not concede to encroachment beyond those legal limits."
However, the Union is of the opinion that the governor should appeal the judgment, adding that since he didn’t do that, the court order is binding on him.
Marwan stated Oshiomhole is not a court and so cannot suspend a strike he didn’t call.
“The NEC agreed that since it is the same court that gave verdict on the autonomy of Judiciary, the union should go back to that same court to demand for an order to garnishee the account of debtor states. And once such “absolute order” is obtained, the union can then suspend strike in those affected states.
“Even those states that signed an MoU with the union are playing pranks and we will approach the same for the garnishee of their account,” adding that a temporary order had been given by the Federal High Court, Abuja pending June 1, when the court will decide whether or not to grant an “absolute order” to garnishee the accounts of Benue and Plateau states.
JUSU embarked on a strike demanding financial autonomy for the judiciary. The nine states still on strike are: Edo, Nasarawa, Plateau, Osun, Enugu, Cross Rivers, Ondo, Ekiti, Adamawa and Taraba.