The National Industrial Court in Abuja will rule on the suit between the Federal Government and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors ( NARD) on Friday.
Justice Bashar Alkali fixed the date after listening to the arguments of the counsels to both parties counsel as reported by News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The presiding judge also asked both parties to return to the negotiation table as stated by the counsels.
The counsel for the Resident Doctors, Femi Falana, had raised the issue of the court’s jurisdiction, advocating that his application challenging the court’s jurisdiction should be taken.
However, the counsel to the Federal Government, Tochukwu Maduka, had stated that the issue of contempt should take precedence over the issue of jurisdiction.
Maduka argued that according to the law, in any suit commenced by way of originating summon, the issue of jurisdiction should be taken together with the substantive suit.
He urged the court to give them time in order to respond to the defendant’s preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court.
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In concluding his argument, Falana prayed the court to make an order to direct the parties to return to the negotiation table, in line with the previous order as granted by the court ordering parties to cease all forms of hostilities.
Maduka however, stated that parties had been to Arbitration Panel but however, the negotiation fell.
According to him, that despite court order that parties should cease hostilities, that the defendant had refused to return to work. He further stated that they were opened to negotiation.
Falana on his part assured the court that his client was ready to cease hostility and return to negotiation table.
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