Strike: ASUU says FG ignored union, rebuffs govt late intervention 

The President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof.Chris Piwuna has stated that the appeal from the Federal Government requesting the union to suspend its already proposed strike action is coming very late.

Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘The Morning Brief’ on Thursday,  Piwuna  insisted that the government is to blame because of its slow response to their demands, stating that  Federal Government failed to act until just 48 hours working days before the strike to make the appeal.

He said, “The problem we have with this government and this Ministry of Education is that they are slow in responding to our demands.

“We went for a meeting in Sokoto, and at that time, we were about to embark on a strike action.

“They gave us three weeks, we accepted the three weeks, but we never heard a word from them until the three weeks elapsed.

“There was not not a word from them, the courtesy to even say, ‘Oh gentlemen, we think we are running short, three weeks is around the corner, we are unable to meet with you on so-and-so date.’ Nothing, until we threatened action.

“Yesterday, they appealed to us not to embark on action. Our 2009 agreement — which is still being renegotiated after eight years — remains undone.

“We have not concluded on it, and two working days before a strike action, you come to appeal to us. I think the appeal has come a little too late”.

The nation’s universities lecturers union had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government on September 29, 2025

“At the National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Abuja on the 28th of September, 2025, the union decried the neglect of the university system and the government’s consistent refusal to heed to its demands.

“Accordingly, ASUU has given the Federal Government of Nigeria an Ultimatum of fourteen (14) days within which to address these issues.

“If at the end of the fourteen-day ultimatum, the Federal Government fails to address these issues, the Union may have no option but to, first, embark on a two-week warning strike and thereafter, a total and indefinite strike.”

Recall that the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education set up a committee headed by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Abel Enitan to look into a proposal for ASUU in a bid to ensure stability across universities.

ASUU’s core demands remain largely unchanged: renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, adequate revitalisation funds for univer­sities, settlement of outstanding salary arrears, and sustainable funding mechanisms.