The Federal Government sued ASUU to court after failing to reach agreement with the union.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it will appeal the order by the National Industrial Court (NIC) directing the suspension of its seven-month-old strike.
Chairman of Lagos Zone of ASUU, Adelaja Odukoya, in a brief statement on Wednesday urged members of the union to “remain calm,” adding that its lawyer, Femi Falana, is already filing an appeal.
The statement by ASUU titled “NIC Back to Work Order on ASUU: Be Calm” reads in part; “Our Comrade President, Comrade Victor Osodeke, has urged members of our Great Union to remain calm as there is no cause for alarm on the back to work order delivered earlier today.
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“Our lawyer is filing an appeal and stay of execution of the judgment. Members should remain resolute and strong. A people united can never be defeated. Solidarity without compromise.”
The Federal Government sued ASUU to court after failing to reach agreement with the union.
Also, the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has said except the government accedes to the demands of the striking lecturers, it would continue to mobilise its members nationwide to obstruct free flow of traffic in major Nigerian cities.
The union said it would also disrupt political rallies if the schools are not reopened before September 28 when political campaigns ahead of 2023 general elections are expected to commence.
Addressing journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, on Wednesday, the chairman of NANS National Taskforce on #EndASUUStrikeNow, Raymond Ojo, said the students are more united now to defend their common interest.
The protesting students had on Monday grounded movement along the Murtala Muhammed International Airport road in Lagos, subjecting many commuters to what they described as torture.
Mr Ojo said the students would unleash their “anger and frustration” on the Nigerian government until public universities are reopened.
He said; “NANS will continue to ground all the nation’s public assets from roads to airports, including Nigeria Ports Authority if the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment fail to resolve with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in no distant time.
“Our blocking of access to public roads and ports is just a warning. If the government fails to conclude all the negotiation and agreement with ASUU within the frame of two weeks, they will witness more protests and rallies all over the country.
“They will also witness the annoyance, anger and frustration of Nigerian Students who have been at home for the past seven months. As we promise them that we will not allow any political campaign to hold across the country until we are back to class.
“This government has pushed so many Nigerians Students into depression. We say enough is enough; we can no longer bear the brunt from this avoidable crisis in our nation’s public ivory towers again.”
Ojo also called on Nigerians to join them in their struggle to “rescue tertiary education from further collapse.”
“Either court rules in favour or against ASUU, the students will not relent in our resolve to disrupt government and public organisations including campaigns if our lecturers are not back to classrooms,” he added.