A student has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to make an interim injunction withholding the monthly allocation to the presidency, ministries, and governors until the resolution of the ongoing industrial action by university lecturers.
Soohemba Agatha Aker, who is an undergraduate and president of the Student
Union Government (SUG) of the Benue State University (BSU), brought the action
on behalf of students affected by the
prolonged industrial action.
In the suit brought by her counsel,
Chukwuma Machukwu-Ume (SAN) on September 21, 2022, Aker also demanded the
suspension of salaries and allowances
for all permanent secretaries, all heads of parastatals & extra ministerial
bodies, all vice-chancellors of striking universities.
She also demanded the withholding of the salaries and allowances of
all the members of the Senate of striking universities, and salaries and allowances of all members of the Academic
Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) pending the hearing and determination of the
originating motion.
She said, “While the applicant and
thousands of her peers all over the
federation are roaming the streets in frustration, the Respondents and their
members continue to receive their monthly salaries, wages, allowances,
allocation, etc unperturbed.
“It is common knowledge that the majority of the children of the upper class in the
society, including the children of the politicians and top government officials
in Nigeria, only attend private schools or study abroad.”
She, therefore, asked the court to suspend
the activities of the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission
(RMAFC), Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), Attorney General of
the Federation and Minister of Justice, Attorney General of Abia State and 35
other states of the federation, and the vice chancellor of the University of
Abuja.
No date has been set for the hearing.