Students of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) have dragged the
\ninstitution before a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, over the illegal
\nexpulsion of two of its students and the violation of their various
\nfundamental human rights.<\/p>\n
The application, which was filed on 11th December, 2015, under suit
\nnumber: FHC\/L\/CS\/1883\/2015 was brought before the court to enforce the
\nFundamental Human Rights of all the members of Congress of NOUN Students,
\nthe unofficial Students Association of the University.<\/p>\n
It will be recalled that the National Open University of Nigeria, under
\nits former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Vincent Ado Tenebe, repeatedly
\nbarred students of the institution from forming any kind of Union, and
\nsubsequently announced the expulsion of two of its students in November of
\n2015. An investigation has revealed that the expelled students, Messrs
\nElias Ozikpu and Abdulrazaq Oyebanji Hamzat, were expelled for campaigning
\nfor the need of a Student Union body in line with the Nigerian
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
During an interactive session with the media at the University
\nheadquarters in Lagos on Thursday, December 3rd 2015, the former
\nVice-Chancellor, Professor Tenebe made certain remarks in defence of the
\nUniversity’s anti-union policy:<\/p>\n
‘The Act establishing this University came up in 1983 and in the blueprint
\nof this University, it was agreed that because of the nature of this
\nschool; we are not allowed to float or organise staff and students union
\nbecause we have staff and students in all states of the federation.’ He
\nfurther added that a union body at the institution will be as having a
\npolitical party, which will pose danger to the country.<\/p>\n
However, an attempt by our correspondent to confirm the stance of the
\nUniversity’s Act on Unionism, it was observed that none of the provisions
\nof the Act opposes students or staff unions as claimed by Professor
\nTenebe, who is one of the Professors recently sacked by the Federal
\nGovernment of Nigeria.<\/p>\n
The expelled students, who have now dragged the University to court, have
\nbeen the voice of several students as well as championing the cause of
\nstudent unionism at the university before they were issued expulsion
\nletters dated 11th November, 2015. Some of the University students have
\nconfirmed that the anti-union stance of the University is not unrelated
\nwith fact that the proposed union will challenge some of the illegal fees
\ncurrently running freely at the University.<\/p>\n
Respondents in the suit are:
\n1. National Open University
\n2. The Registrar, Mrs Josephine Olasumbo Akinyemi
\nThe expelled student leaders, who are joined by four other members of the
\nExecutive Committee of Congress of NOUN Students as Applicants in the
\nsuit, are praying the court for some of the following declarations:<\/p>\n
1. An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents whether by
\nthemselves or by their officers, agents, servants, assigns, privies or any
\nother person(s), however called, from further prosecution, conviction and
\nexpulsion of any of its students on the basis of their insistence on the
\nexercise of their Fundamental Rights as enshrined under the Constitution
\nof the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
\n2. An order of perperual injunction restraining the Respondents whether
\nby themselves or by their officers, agents, servants, assigns, privies or
\nany other person(s), however called, from further issuing any notice
\nprohibiting students\u2019 right to Freedom of Association and thereby
\ninfringing on the Fundamental Rights of the Applicants.
\n3. An order quashing or setting aside the expulsion letters issued
\nagainst Mr Elias Ozikpu and Abdulrazaq Hamzat dated 11\/11\/2015, etc.
\nThe presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Olatoregun Ishola had, on February 9th
\nadjourned the case for Wednesday 17th February, 2016 for hearing.
\nAlthough the Open University Counsel failed to turn up for the hearing
\nand failed to file any affidavit of defence, Counsel to the Applicants,
\nBarrister Gabriel Orban prayed the court to grant all the reliefs as
\ncontained in their substantive suit. The case was subsequently adjourned
\nto 13th April, 2016 forjudgement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Students of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) have dragged the institution before a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, over the illegal expulsion of two of its students and the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46786,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n