The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reacted to the alleged claim by the federal government that the lecturers agreed to call off their strike on Wednesday, December 9.

The Nation reported that the lecturers’ union countered the claim which was attributed to the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, saying it never agreed to suspend the strike on the said date.

Strike will be suspended when our welfare, varsities’ survival are guaranteed, says ASUU. Photo credit: @fkeyamo
Source: Twitter

According to Ogunyemi, the ASUU leadership only agreed to consult its organs after the November 27 meeting where the federal government offered the lecturers N70 billion with a view to suspending the strike which has lasted for about eight months.

The ASUU president also explained that the principal officers who represent the union at negotiation meetings with the government do not have the power to suspend any strike action.

He said the role of the principal officers is to present the outcome of their meetings with the government to the branches of the union.

Ogunyemi added that the aggregated responses of the branches will subsequently be presented as counter-offers to the government.

When strike will be suspended

After explaining the process of ASUU’s negotiations, Professor Ogunyemi said the strike would only be suspended when the union affirms that the welfare and wellbeing of its members and the survival of public universities are sufficiently guaranteed.

He noted that ASUU is willing to cooperate with concerned authorities to ensure the issues that led to the strike are resolved.

Ogunyemi, however, said the union would not make any compromise to its own detriment.

Nigerians react on social media

Soji Oni, reacting to ASUU’s statement on Facebook, said:

“It is a poignant irony that ASUU has detected the hypocrisy of FG via Ngige. Ngige had planned to use the same method/deceit being used for other Unions for ASUU.

“Ngige must have boasted that he had struck his usual deal. Lo and behold he was wrong for ASUU had shown that we are intellectuals not to have swallowed the bait.

“Bravo to ASUU leadership for this dexterity. Meanwhile, the struggle continues. Solidarity for ever!”

Seun Olawoyin said:

“If ASUU get paid for not working, what about the students that automatically bag extra year for no offence? ASUU should not be paid #EndASUU”

Abubakar Mustapha Kolo said:

“All they say is their welfare and wellbeing of its members while students are always suffering whether in campus or off campus”

Dedenuola Cool Prince said:

“So where’s the place of the students?

“Yet you claim to be fighting for the good of our students but all you’re fighting for is self interest not general interest.

“If you had included in your demands 5k for each students each month then I’d have known the interest of the poor students is sacrosanct. ASUU AND GOVT are the same jare”

The meeting was scheduled to hold on Wednesday, December 9.

ASUU said the reason for the indefinite suspension was as a result of the time frame the federal government gave them to consult their members.