The National Industrial Court in Abuja has fixed March 25 for judgment in the suit by two members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN), and Petroleum Equalisation Fund (Management) Board (PEF(M)B) over alleged illegal suspension.
The action was filed before the National Industrial Court by Gambo Muhammed and Declan Agrinya over their suspension by PENGASSAN, which resulted in their not being paid their benefits and entitlements since September 2017.
At the last hearing, Justice Edith Agbakoba adjourned for judgement after the defence parties were absent in court and their lawyer was also not in court.
Consequently, the judge agreed with the submission of S. Baba Isa, the counsel to Mohammed and Agrinya, that under Order 45 Rule 7 of the court, when defendants fail to show up in court without any reasons, their processes are deemed adopted.
Mohammed and Agrinya have demanded the sum of N50 million against the association on the grounds that their suspension on February 25, 2014 from the association by the PEF(M)B Branch without being afforded the right to fair hearing, was wrong.
The claimants are contending that their suspension was wrong, illegal, null and void.
They are therefore seeking a declaration that the action was against Sections 6 (6) and 40 of the Nigerian Constitution; Section 12 (1) of the Trade Unions Act; Rules 4, 28 and 31; Schedules 2 and 3 of the Constitution of PENGASSAN, 2013.
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