A.D Rufa’i COEASU Member sues ELCOM chairman, others, gets restraining order from court

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Mohammed Kaka Misau

A branch member of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), A.D Rufa’i College of Education, Legal and General Studies Misau, Barr Saleh Abdullahi has sued the Chapter Chairman of the Union to court.

The suit by Barr. Abdullahi which came barely four days after the the Union’s chairman was sworn-in, had the 2022 Electoral Committee (ELCOM) for the College and the national body of the union joined as respondents.

The Suit which was filed on the 29 day of September, 2022 against the Chairman is challenging his eligibility to have contested for the chairmanship position in the first place.

The Suit, according to a document obtained by our Corresspondent, seeks among other things, the legal interpretation of some identified provisions of the Union’s Constitution relating to condition precedent on eligibility for the position of the Chapter Chairman, which the Plaintiff claimed that the elected Chairman, who is now the first Defendant in the Suit before Bauchi High Court, is lacking the relevant requirement.

The suite averred that the National officers of the Union decided to waive the in-eligibility in question relying on the same Union’s Constitution.

The Plaintiff who spoke to Baushe Times in an interview on Friday, Barr Saleh Abdullahi said it will amount to subjudice in Law to talk on the position of the Case which is pending before the Court.

He however, disclosed that he had earlier written a petition against the candidacy of the Chairman, demanding the Electoral Committee not to swear him into office but his petition was disregarded as it fell in deaf ears.

Barr. Abdullahi said he filed the suit with the intention of righting what he viewed as wrong, vowing that he is not part of those who will fold their arms and watch irregularities parmeating the College community under the guise of pretending to be a good boy or a gentleman.

“Gone are the days when I will hide my face, stand on the fence or chose to be indifferent on issues bothering our collective responsibilities for the College even when they are considered wrong”, he said.

He maintained that the courts, like all other institutions of government are there to be accessed and as such, he will always utilize every bit of the opportunity at his disposal to ventilate his grievances and exercise his civic rights.

The Plaintiff who sought and obtained an Interim Order of Injunction against all the Defendants and other relevant bodies to stop parading and recognizing the elected Chairman or relating with him as one pending the hearing and determination of his case informed our Corresspondent that he is ever ready to pursue the case from now to the Supreme Court so as to test the Law.

Another member of the union who claimed annonimity said even though he preaches the gospel of peace and harmony among member colleagues of the College as the only way for them to have a collective progress and development, opined that those at the helm of affairs should now treat and deal with all manner of staff and address issues with cautions.

He said that the Affairs of the Union is not going to be business as usual because the institution is now becoming too big than it used to be.