By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has said its proposed strike was “merely kept in abeyance” and would reassess developments surrounding the suspension of the strike at its next meeting.
President-Elect of NARD, Dr Emmanuel Idoko, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar, Cross River State, on Monday, January 12.
Dr Idoko, former Cross River Chairman of NARD, told NAN that the decision to suspend the strike followed a meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima.
He said that Shettima appealed to the association to suspend further strikes and engage the Federal Government in further discussions.
“The strike is not called off yet; it was merely kept in abeyance. We shall reassess developments at our next meeting and decide on the next steps.
“Doctors do not embark on strikes for pleasure; we do so in reaction to poor working conditions, inadequate facilities, and unfavourable policies that affect healthcare delivery,” he said.
Dr Idoko further noted that poor remuneration and weak health policies had led to the relocation of many medical doctors from the country.
Recall that NARD declared an indefinite nationwide strike that began on November 1, 2025, following the alleged failure of the Federal Government to implement a 19-point pact with the association.
The association, however, suspended the strike after 29 days following negotiations with the government and an agreement that addressed some of the demands.
NARD later announced new plans to resume another strike, effective January 12, over the alleged non-fulfillment of the agreement by the Federal Government.
The association, in a statement issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, said January 2 marked the second day after the expiration of the agreed deadline for implementing the NARD–Federal Government MoU, which prompted the emergency NEC meeting.
NARD stated that it had suspended its previous strike in good faith after the government made commitments, but that the implementation of those agreements remained outstanding.
The association and two of its officials were also restrained by the National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja from embarking on any form of industrial action from January 12, 2026.
The court order was given in a ruling delivered by Justice E. D. Subilim on Friday, January 9, granting the interim injunction in a suit marked NICN/ABJ/06/2026, filed by the Federal Government and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) against NARD, Dr Mohammad Suleman, and Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim.
The order followed an ex parte application by the Federal Government, which urged the court to stop the doctors from calling or organising any strike, work stoppage, picketing, go-slow or any other industrial protest pending the hearing of a substantive motion.
