Leadership crisis: ASCSN President accuses Police of undermining court order

President of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Comrade Innocent Bola Audu, has accused the Nigerian Police Force of undermining a recent judgment of the National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja, which reinstated him as the president of the association.

DAILY POST gathered that the court presided over by Justice Oyewumi Oyebiola, had on July 9, 2024, voided the purported suspension of Audu.

The court subsequently ordered his return as President of ASCSN till when his tenure will be completed.

Justice Oyebiola, in the judgment, held that Audu’s suspension by the Central Working Committee of ASCSN and his subsequent expulsion by the National Working Committee of the association was “unlawful, illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever”.

Our correspondent however gathered that since Audu got the certified true copy of the court order, all efforts to assume duty as president of the association had been unsuccessful.

In a statement made available to DAILY POST on Monday, Audu expressed dismay at the way the police is handling the issue.

He alleged that rather than upholding the order of court, the police are being complicit in the matter.

He urged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to intervene and ensure that justice prevails.

Audu said, “Regrettably, those responsible for my ordeal have refused to respect the court’s judgment, seeking to frustrate its implementation. I have drawn the attention of relevant law enforcement agencies to this matter to no avail.

“Ironically, the Police, who should be providing protection, are now hindering my resumption of office. I am aware of plots to frustrate the court’s judgment and I therefore call on the Inspector General of Police to withdraw his men from our office as requested by our members.

“We were invited by the FCT Commissioner of Police last Sunday for a meeting. Luckily, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (Simon Lough), who is a police officer was present as an arbiter.

“He read the judgment for all of us, we were about 40 or more in the office of the Commissioner of Police. After reading, the judgment, he told the cabal who has been resisting me from assuming my office that what they were doing is wrong.”