Lawyers for the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Thursday failed to resolve the issues that led to the eight months old strike out of court as advised by the Appellate Court.
The two senior lawyers representing the parties in the suit– James Igwe (SAN) and Femi Falana (SAN), informed the Appellate Court on Thursday they were unable to reach an amicable settlement out of court.
Consequently, the presiding Justice Hamma Barka stepped down the matter for an hour to enable Falana, the counsel to ASUU, file a reply to the counter affidavit deposed to by the federal government opposing the hearing of the appeal.
Falana had at the resumption of the matter said they had begun consultations which would continue at the end of the day’s proceedings. He urged the court to hear his client’s (ASUU’s) application challenging the ruling of the Industrial Court.
Igwe, FG’s counsel did not oppose Falana’s submission given the inability of parties to settle out of court as advised by the three-man panel of the Appeal court.