The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has shown clear indications that it doesn’t want a continuation of the present administration and reiterated its desire to have a change of power at the helm of affairs of the country.
Although the Union says that it remains non-partisan, its leaders noted that this administration has been very irresponsible and unresponsive to their plights and has refused to implement a Memorandum of Understanding,MoU which it signed years ago.
In a chat with Naij.com, Dr. Ademola Aremu, National Treasurer of the union, dispelled rumours making rounds that they are likely to embark on another industrial action anytime soon.
He explained that the National President of the Union, Nasir Isa Fagge, had during an event in University of Ibadan, UI last week, sensitised the public on ASUU’s struggles and the refusal of the government to disburse allocations as it had earlier agreed to.
“The money has accumulated and that was why the president was creating an awareness about the situation on ground and not raising any fears on whether the union is about to embark on strike or not.
“We have always said that we are unhappy with the way this issue of tertiary institution funding has been handled in the country after despite our endless agitations.
“Throughout 2014, nothing was released and as things are with the first quarter ending, nothing has been done again. This is the reason we are skeptical about the fact that we are being neglected by the Federal Government,” the respected leader said.
On whether the union is canvassing for votes against the present administration based on its negligence of the university lecturers, Dr. Aremu retorted that it remained non-partisan ahead of the electoral process.
He however, noted that “the handwriting is on the wall for all to see and the present administration.
“We will not support an irresponsible and unresponsive government. Our members do not need to be told what to do before they take action. This is a very obvious case which e are all aware of.
“We will not support an irresponsible and unresponsive government. Our members do not need to be told what to do before they take action. This is a very obvious case which e are all aware of.
“We have never asked our members to vote a particular candidate, we will never do that. But, like I said, our members know who exactly they want and what they want to do”.
Students had earlier this year prayed for a strike-free 2015 as they hope that the union’s long-standing furore with the federal government will be settled as soon as possible.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is a Nigerian union of university academic staff, founded in 1978, with a history of militant action.
Most recently, they threatened to shut down universities across the country if the Inspector General of Police (IGP) fails to arrest those responsible for the murder of Professor Ahmad Mustapha Falaki of the Ahmadu Bello University’s Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR).
