ASUU suspends strike conditionally after eight months

 

 The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) has suspended its eight-month-old industrial action conditionally, a member of the union’s National Executive Committee told Channels TV early Friday, October 14.

The union decided to suspend the strike during a meeting of its leadership that started on Thursday night, October 13.

ASUU leadership'. Photo credit: House of Representatives Source: Facebook

The meeting was called by the union to determine its next line of action after its state branches met over the Court of Appeal ruling last week.

The Court of Appeal had ordered ASUU to suspend the strike before its appeal of the ruling ordering lecturers to resume work can be heard.

Members of the union’s National Executive Committee, which comprises the chairmen of the state chapters and members of the national executive, attended the meeting at the ASUU national secretariat in Abuja.

Though the union is yet to make an official pronouncement, a highly informed source within the NEC saying:

“Yes, it has been called off. The president will release an official circular in the morning.”

Meanwhile the Universities (ASUU) on Friday, October 14 in a press statement noted that the issues in its disputes with the Federal Government were not well addressed.

  ASUU Makes Fresh Complaint after Calling Off Strike Source: Twitter

The press release, which was signed by the National President of the union, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, however, hailed the intervention of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The statement partly read:

“The National Executive Council of ASUU held an emergency meeting at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, Abuja, on Thursday, October 13, 2022”.

The union in its statement further noted that the Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Chris Ngige, took the striking lecturers to court.

“The National Industrial Court, in its wisdom, gave an order compelling ASUU to resume work pending the determination of the substantive suit. Given the nature of the order, and in the opinion of our counsel, there was the need to appeal the interlocutory injunction granted against our union at the Court of Appeal.

“The Court of Appeal acknowledged the validity of the grounds of the union’s appeal but still upheld the order of the lower court and ordered our union to comply with the ruling of the lower court as condition precedent for the appeal to be heard.

“NEC noted the series of meetings with the leadership of the House of Representatives led by the Hon. Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as well as intervention efforts of other well-meaning Nigerians both within and outside the government and the progress made so far.”

Speaking further on the status of negotiations, the union said,

“While appreciating the commendable efforts of the leadership of the House of Representatives and other patriotic Nigerians who waded into the matter, NEC noted with regrets that the issues in dispute were yet to be satisfactorily addressed.

“However, as a law-abiding union and in deference to appeals by President Muhammadu Buhari, and in recognition of the efforts of Hon. Gbajabiamila, and other well-meaning Nigerians, ASUU NEC resolved to suspend the strike action embarked upon on February 14, 2022. Consequently, all members of ASUU are hereby directed to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday, October 14, 2022.”