Abia Judiciary Workers Strike Persists as JUSUN Demands Full Financial Autonomy From Governor Otti

Judiciary workers in Abia State continue their strike as JUSUN demands Governor Alex Otti implement financial independence for the courts.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 15, 2026, 5:03 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Peoples Gazette

A Stand for Constitutional Financial Independence

The industrial deadlock between the Abia State government and judicial workers has intensified as union leaders clarify the core motivations behind their persistent strike. Chinedu Ezeh, the chairman of the Abia chapter of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, stated during a briefing in Umuahia that the administration under Governor Alex Otti has failed to implement the financial autonomy required for a functional judiciary. While the state government has attempted to frame the dispute around administrative delays, the union insists the conflict is a matter of constitutional respect for the third arm of government.

Disputing the Government Narrative on Allowances

Union officials are moving to correct public perceptions regarding the specific grievances that triggered the walkout on March 13. While the Abia government previously attributed the strike to disputes over outstanding leave allowances, Ezeh dismissed these claims as a reductive interpretation of their demands. According to the union chairman, unpaid leave allowances represent only a minor fraction of the broader issues at hand, with the primary focus remaining on the total implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed in June 2023.

Legal Obligations and Administrative Overreach

The friction between the executive and the judiciary has been further complicated by disagreements over statutory definitions and administrative boundaries. JUSUN leadership highlighted that leave allowances, calculated at 10 percent of gross earnings, are a statutory right, whereas monthly leave bonuses are a separate privilege. Furthermore, the union has pushed back against a government mandate for pension verification, asserting that such exercises fall strictly under the jurisdiction of the Judicial Service Commission rather than the executive branch.