By Anthony Uwadiegwu Calabar
The strike action by the Judiciary Staff Union (JUSUN), Cross River State branch disrupted activities of the National and the state House of Assembly election
Petition Tribunal Panel 1, sitting in Calabar.
ThisNigeria learned that the disruption of proceedings followed the Tribunal’s inability to access the High Court Complex, Calabar, the supposed venue for the Tribunal sittings.
Checks by ThisNigeria showed that newsmen and other interested parties, who had arrived at the venue at 9:30 am for the Tribunal inauguration scheduled for 10: 00 am could not enter the venue as the complex was locked, with several strike action notices pasted at the gate of the premises.
Some officials of the Tribunal, including the secretary of the panel, Akawu Bambur, were not allowed into the premises, he, however, expressed worry over the Tribunal’s inability to sit due to the strike.
Bambur said: “We had discussed with them (the judiciary workers), that they should allow us to sit, they agreed, but surprisingly today we can’t gain entrance into the venue. We will communicate a new date because for today we cannot sit, you can see that everywhere is locked.”
Recall that ThisNigeria had reported that JUSUN in a jointly signed notice by its Chairman, Com. Enya Ertoti and Asst. Sec. Ashikebesang Eugene advised its members to remain at home from Tuesday, May 2, until further notice over unresolved demands by the state government.
Their demands include: “implementation of the constitutional provision of the financial autonomy of the judiciary, payment of the 66 per cent balance, and consolidated judiciary salary structure,” amongst others.
