Cross River: Judiciary workers’ strike paralyses court activities

Court activities in Cross River State were paralysed on Wednesday following an indefinite strike action embarked upon by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria.

Speaking on why they embarked on the strike, the state Chairman of JUSUN, Enyia Etorti, said the government has failed to respond to their demands since 2015.

According to him, our major demands are the independence of the judiciary, which I think is paramount.

“Then the most pertinent to us is the pending 66% which is CONJUSS. It’s paid all over the country.

“The state only paid 34%, left with 66% and we have been begging the government to pay for years. Moreover, the promotion has not been made for years in the state judiciary.”

Meanwhile, the inaugural sitting of the 2023 Elections Petition Tribunal in Calabar could not take place due to the strike as the court premises were shut.

The Secretary of the Tribunal, Akawu Bambur, told journalists that the tribunal sitting has been adjourned indefinitely due to the strike and a new date would be announced later.

There are some major petitions before the tribunal, one of which is that of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prof Sandy Onor, against the state governor-elect and the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Senator Bassey Otu.

Also before the panel is the petition by the state governor, Prof Ben Ayade. He is seeking to reverse his loss of the Cross River North Senatorial election to Senator Jarigbe Agom of the Peoples Democratic Party. Punch