Pressure Mounts on Presidency as ASUU Threatens Immediate Strike Over Unfulfilled Promises.

The Federal Government is set to hold critical discussions with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday, November 24, and Tuesday, November 25, in an attempt to avert a fresh nationwide strike across public universities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

These meetings, convened by the Yayale Ahmed Renegotiation Committee, come as part of ongoing efforts to address unresolved issues surrounding the long-standing 2009 agreement between the government and the union. ASUU’s National Executive Council is expected to convene shortly after the engagements to determine whether to proceed with industrial action.

A senior member of ASUU’s NEC, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that the government has been deliberately prolonging talks instead of offering concrete solutions. The official suggested that the back-to-back meetings scheduled by the government may be an attempt to stall the union’s next line of action.

ASUU’s one-month ultimatum elapsed on Saturday, heightening concerns of another disruption in the academic calendar. The union had earlier suspended its two-week warning strike on October 22, granting the government a one-month period to meet critical demands, which include a full review of the 2009 agreement, payment of outstanding salaries and earned academic allowances, as well as the release of funds for university revitalisation.

The union had warned that it would resume a full-scale strike without further notice if the government failed to show genuine commitment within the stipulated timeframe.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has maintained that the administration has substantially met the union’s demands. Speaking recently after a briefing at the State House, he reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s directive that public universities must remain open and assured that every effort was being made to prevent another shutdown of academic activities.

He described the union’s earlier six-day warning strike as unnecessary, noting that negotiations were ongoing. Alausa stated that part of his recent visit to the Presidential Villa was to update the President on the status of talks and to secure additional concessions aimed at resolving the standoff. He expressed confidence that the impasse would soon be resolved.