Industrial Court affirms Bola-Audu's election as ASCSN president
…awards N70m fine against factional leaders The National Industrial Court (NIC) in Abuja has affirmed the election of Comrade Innocent Bola-Audu as the authentic President of the Association of Senior
…awards N70m fine against factional leaders
The National Industrial Court (NIC) in Abuja has affirmed the election of Comrade Innocent Bola-Audu as the authentic President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants in Nigeria (ASCSN).
In a judgment on Wednesday, Justice Rakiya Haastrup ordered that Bola-Audu must be allowed to assume the leadership of ASCSN and unhindered access to its National Secretariat.
Justice Haastrup held that Sheu Mohammed and Apebo Joshua, who have been parading themselves as ASCSN's National President and Secretary General, were not supported by any law or authority.
The judge upheld the election of August 10, 2024, which returned Bola-Audu for a second term of four years and held that the election was conducted in line with the provisions of ASCSN's constitution.
She proceeded to nullify the election purportedly held in Lagos by a faction of the association, which produced Sheu Mohammed and Apebo Joshua as factional leaders.
The judge ordered the Accountant General of the Federation (named as a defendant in the suit) to release the check off dues of the association's members to the Bola-Audu-led leadership of ASCSN.
Justice Haastrup held that the election purportedly held in Lagos was conducted in flagrant disregard of ASCSN's constitution and was therefore a product of fraud and illegality that could not stand.
The judge recalled that the same National Industrial Court, presided over by another judge, Justice Oyebiola Oyewumi, gave a judgment on July 9, 2024, which earlier pronounced Bola-Audu as the actual National President of the ASCSN.
She added that the judgment by Justice Oyewumi remained valid, subsisting, and binding on all ASCSN members since the faction led by Mohammed and Joshua did not appeal against it.
Justice Haastrup noted that the earlier suspension of Bola-Audu by the Central Working Committee (CWC) of ASCSN and his subsequent expulsion by the National Working Committee (NWC) were earlier declared unlawful and void in Justice Oyewumi's judgment.
The judge, in the judgment in the suit marked: NICK/ ABM/169/2025, held that Bola-Audu's purported suspension was based on a false allegation that was earlier quashed by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Maitama.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), on February 22, 2021, arrested and detained Bola-Audu over allegations that he was involved in human trafficking and exploitation of vulnerable persons.
However, he was discharged and acquitted of the allegation by the High Court of the FCT.
Justice Haastrup faulted Mohammed and Joshua for their conduct against the judgment, adding that orders made by courts are meant to be obeyed and not to be mocked as done by Mohammed and Joshua, who are 1st and 2nd defendants in the suit.
Justice Haastrup held that the actions of the two defendants in instigating members and other government officials against the claimants through frivolous letters and correspondence, despite court judgment recognizing their leadership, were tainted with malice.
She subsequently set aside all letters written to individuals, government officials, and establishments by the two defendants against the claimants.
The judge issued a restraining order against the two defendants, prohibiting them and their agents from disrupting the claimants from functioning as the authentic officers of the association and from accessing all properties of the association.
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Justice Haastrup also issued an order extending the Bola-Audu-led leadership of the association for six months, being the period they were not allowed to access the National Secretariat of ASCSN.
The judge awarded a cost of N10million each to Mohammed and Joshua for being vindictive and conducting themselves in contempt of court, and acting in defiance of the earlier subsisting judgment.
She equally awarded another N50m cost against them as exemplary damages.
Reacting to the judgment, Bola-Audu, who was in court with some members of the association, hailed the Judiciary for upholding the truth.
Bola-Audu said there was neither victor nor vanquished. He urged Mohammed and Joshua to join him and others in growing the association for the benefit of its over 600,000 members.
