JUSUN shuts down judiciary in C’River, threatens 2023 elections petition tribunal
From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
The Cross River State Chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) has embarked on an indefinite strike.
This follows the refusal of the state government to implement judicial autonomy in the state judiciary and a number of other demands.
Comrade Enyia Etorti, the state Chairman of JUSUN who justified the action said the government has failed to make any response to their demands which has been in since 2015.
Giving more details about the Industrial action, he said “The AG (Attorney General) came in and said give me two weeks, give me one month and this all ended in a deadlock of not even a word to us.
“Our major demands are the independence of the judiciary, which I think is more paramount. Then the most pertinent to us is the pending 66% which is CONJUSS, it’s paid all over the country.
“The state only paid 34% left with 66% and we have been begging the government to pay for years, moreover promotion has not been made for years in the state judiciary”, he said.
Meanwhile, with the commencement of the JUSUN industrial action, the inaugural sitting of the elections petition tribunal has been threatened.
The inaugural sitting of the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal (Panel 1), under its Chairman Akawu Bambur is scheduled to commence Wednesday, May 3 at the state high Court along Moore road.
But this has been thrown into doubt as JUSUN Strike has shut down court premises across the state.
Comrade Etorti said there is nothing wrong with the timing of the strike as they have been waiting since 2015 to hear from the government.
“When we talk about strike it remains strike, so they should look for a place and have the tribunal.
“No timing is wrong because this matter has been on since 2015, we waited till this period and it has not been done so we have to still let the governor know that we are still waiting”, he said.
