Soohemba Aker, a university student, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to issue a directive suspending the operations of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) awaiting the outcome of the ASUU strike.
Benue State University’s final-year law student similarly requested the same judgment stopping the work of the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC),
The Federal Government, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and the Minister of Justice are among the respondents.
Other participants include the 36 state’s attorneys general, the vice chancellor of the University of Abuja, the governor of Abia, RMAFC, FAAC, and Umar Faruk, president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The student claimed that the current industrial strike affects her in a fundamental rights enforcement lawsuit filed by her attorney, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume, SAN, and designated FHC/ABJ/CS/1684/2022.
According to NAN, Aker brought the lawsuit on her own behalf on behalf of all public tertiary students who are now being impacted by the statewide ASUU strike.
The lawsuit bases its claims on Article 17(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Chapter A9 (Charter 10 LFN 1990) No. 2 of 1983 and Sections 46(1), (2), and (3) of the 1999 Constitution.
Aker asked the court to issue a ruling halting the payment of all political office holders’ salaries, allowances, and other benefits, including those of the President and federal legislators.
She pleaded with the court to halt payments to lawmakers, ASUU members, parastatal and extra-ministerial body heads, ministers, permanent secretaries, and vice chancellors of institutions on strike.
According to Aker’s affidavit, the strike is still having a negative impact on her because she was hoping to graduate in 2022 and enroll in the Nigerian Law School, but her plans were derailed.
The citizen bemoaned the fact that her academic year’s tuition payments will be in vain because, if nothing is done, the academic year will almost certainly be gone.
Aker continued, “My ambition of graduating from law school and becoming a lawyer is on the verge of collapsing because my sponsor said this is the last year she will be supported.”
A judge has not yet been assigned to the case. On February 14, 2022, ASUU went on strike. Despite numerous discussions, there hasn’t been a breakthrough in the impasse.
