Food Union Leaders Rush To Appeal Judgement, Filing Motion Days Before Deadline

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THE NATIONAL Union of Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) and its principal national officers have filed a motion at the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, seeking leave to appeal a landmark judgement delivered by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) on June 18, 2025, which nullified the suspension and expulsion of six union members and awarded ₦2 million costs against the union.

The appeal, filed under suit number CA/L/R/P/E/CY/REV1/2025, names Comrade Lateef Idowu Oyelekan, former National President of NUFBTE, and twelve other national officers, virtually all of whom have exited the union, including the union itself, as Appellants/Applicants.

The respondents to the appeal are the six members who successfully sued the union at the lower court, the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN).

The motion, brought by a legal team led by A. J. Owonikoko, SAN, just three days to the appeal to become statute barred, seeks several orders from the appellate court, including an extension of time to seek leave to appeal, leave to appeal on grounds other than fundamental rights, an extension of time to file the appeal itself, and a stay of execution of the NICN judgment pending the hearing of the appeal.

Background of the Dispute

National Record reports that the case originates from a judgment delivered on June 18, 2025, by Hon. Justice (Dr.) I. J. Essien of the NICN Lagos Division in suit no. NICN/LA/430/2020.

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