By Amaechi Agbo

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU – the umbrella body of the teaching staff of Nigerian public universities – has threatened a nationwide strike next week should the federal government fails to yield to their recent demands

The union hinged it latest threat on the failure of the Federal Government to appoint Governing Councils for Federal Universities in the country. There are 111 federal universities across the federation.

Speaking in a media chat, President of the union, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke noted that it has given the Tinubu-led government enough time to correct the errors.

Osodeke noted that the union was also concerned over the failure of the Federal Government to appoint members of Governing Councils for Federal owned universities stressing that the dissolution of the governing councils was illegal as it was against the principles guiding the existing universities.

The union also faulted what it described as the nonchalant attitude of the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to matters pertaining to academics in Nigerian Federal Universities.

During the press briefing at the University of Abuja, ASUU also faulted the 35 per cent salary increment for professors and the 25 per cent salary increment for other academics in the university system.

The body said it saw the increment as a wage award that could be withdrawn by the government anytime it deems fit.

It could be recalled that the National Universities Commission had, on June 22, 2023, announced the dissolution of governing councils of all federal universities and boards of other agencies and parastatals in the country.

The NUC directive was based on a similar one three days earlier by President Bola Tinubu ordering the dissolution of the boards of all government parastatals, agencies and companies.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, says it will reconvene in two weeks for the next line of action, should its demands remain unattended to.

ASUU is demanding immediate reconstitution of university governing boards, stoppage of alleged illegalities and violations of university autonomy, and payment of the minimum wage.

At a press briefing in Abuja, ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, said it rejects the unhealthy face-off with union leaders by vice chancellors.

A few federal university branches of ASUU are currently on strike, following moves by their vice-chancellors to elect their successors, without governing boards, which are mandated for that.

Although the federal government immediately reconstituted the boards of the governing councils of the 111 universities with 555 members, it remains to be seen if ASUU would go ahead with the proposed strike when the union meets next week.