JUSUN Strike Is A Farce, Only Ordinary Man Is Affected — J. B. Daudu, SAN

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Joseph Bodunrin Daudu, popularly referred to as JB Daudu, has called for the calling off of the ongoing strike of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN.

Daudu, on a Facebook post on 29th May, 2021 described the strike as farce in that judgements are being delivered in cases involving politicians while those of poor farmers are not.

According to the learned silk, this goes contrary to the principle of rule of law which provides for equality. He said the strike should have been allowed to affect the political office holders to force them adjust their ways.

“Oladipo Tolani – My brother Dipo, if judgments will lapse, let them lapse, after all the CJN said on the JUSUN strike that he understood where they are coming from, meaning himself and the entire judiciary support the strike action. In that case, Rule of law, requires that both the privileged politician and the poor farmers have the same 3 months to have their judgments delivered.

“I understand that your point is that election cases are time sensitive but if it was a sincere cause, one of the best ways to achieve result is to allow the effect of the strike action affect the cases of political office holders in the hope that they will adjust their ways and grant the judiciary the much sought after financial autonomy. Unfortunately, the same judiciary is the one ensuring that the very class of people allegedly oppressing it get justice even in the middle of a strike action to achieve autonomy. What a contradiction in terms.

“From the moment the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal started delivering judgments in Governorship cases during the supposed industrial action I was convinced conclusively that the entire strike action was a complete and total farce. As things stand, only the ordinary man (litigant) is feeling the effects of the so called strike.” Daudu said

He accused the JUSUN of blowing hot and cold by claiming that the strike is for the benefit of the nation while at the same time facilitating the hearing of cases of political cases

He said the Union lacks moral ground to continue with the strike. He advised that same be called off

He said, “One point am sure you will agree with me on is as to who transferred the files to the Judges or justices for hearing of the cases and preparation of judgment, who gathered materials for research, who typed the judgments for some of the computer non-literate justices, who issued hearing notices or zoom notices as they are called to the parties concerned and to the whole world because I got the notification?

“All these administrative actions were undertaken by JUSUN staff, who in one breadth are blowing hot claiming that they are on strike for the benefit of the nation’s judicial system and in another breadth facilitating the hearing of financially juicy political and election cases. Even the delivery of one solitary judgment is a fundamental breach of the very essence of the JUSUN strike talk less of a situation where judgments are being delivered in many political cases.

“As far as I am concerned, the strikers have no moral or legal platform to continue with their actions. The whole thing has failed and should be called off before we repeat the Judiciary equivalent of the endsars protest, which faltered because its organizers did not know when to pause or retreat.”