ASUU rules out new strike ‘to avoid the foolishness of Ngige’
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will not embark on another strike over the half salary paid them for October and would rather sit out a court ruling on their case “to avoid the foolishness of [Chris] Ngige.”
They say “we don’t want to play into [the] hands” of the Labour Minister who has been making things worse by turning into a personal fight the agitation by lecturers for a better tertiary educational system.
ASUU President Emmanuel Osodeke himself explained the union would continue to pursue a positive resolution within the ambit of the law without compromising the interests and welfare of the academics.
A statement he issued on Tuesday after a meeting of National Executive Committee (NEC) late Monday appealed for the understanding of students, parents, and other genuinely concerned individuals and groups.
“At an emergency meeting of the ASUU’s National Executive Committee [NEC], held on Monday, November 7, 2022, the union deliberated on developments since the suspension of the strike.
“NEC noted with dismay that paying academics on a ‘pro-rata’ basis, like casual workers, is unprecedented in the history of university-oriented labour relations and therefore condemned this attempt to reduce Nigerian scholars to casual workers in its entirety,” the statement said.
The NEC commended ASUU members for their perseverance in the face of untold hardship and unwarranted provocation by agents of the ruling class.
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Waiting for court ruling
A source in ASUU NEC ruled out the possibility of another strike because the matter is still in court. He said ASUU lawyers counselled it to wait for the decision of the court.
“You know the case is still in court, we have not been called back yet,” the source told The PUNCH.
“The previous strike was suspended based on court order, if we decide to go on strike, Ngige may use that opportunity to say they want to proscribe ASUU.
“There are lots of court cases on the ground already. We need the court to settle it once and for all. Our hands are tied. Only the court can rule. The Minister knows this and that is why he is acting this way.”
ASUU branches meet
ASUU Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) branch Chairman Adeola Egbedokun disclosed the branch would meet today to discuss the resolutions of the NEC.
A member of ASUU University of Lagos (UNILAG) branch Poju Tejumaiye said the branch would meet on Thursday.
“There won’t be strike action. Everybody is trying to avoid the foolishness of Ngige. We don’t want to play into his hands,” he explained.
“We will continue with our lectures while consultation also continues. Because of [House Speaker Femi] Gbajabiamila, we will wait for the father of the nation [Muhammadu Buhari] to respond, but I know my people won’t wait endlessly.”
