ASUU tells FG to get ready for full-blown strike

• FG has not met our main demand-ASUU tell Nigerians

The Ibadan Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Friday warned that a full-scale strike may be imminent, citing what it described as the federal government’s discourteous and lackadaisical handling of the ongoing industrial dispute.

Addressing journalists at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, the zonal coordinator, Prof. Biodun Olaniran, accused government officials of misleading the public with false claims while frustrating efforts to conclude the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement.

According to ASUU, the Union’s core demand is the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement—currently being handled by the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed-led committee—to produce a new salary structure that will replace the Consolidated University Salary Scale (CONUASS), which has been eroded by persistent inflation.

ASUU had declared a two-week warning strike on October 13, 2025, but suspended it five days before expiration following what it considered genuine interventions from students, parents, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the media, and other stakeholders. The Union then allowed a one-month window, aligning with the NLC’s ultimatum to the government to conclude the renegotiation and address all outstanding issues.

The Ibadan Zone comprises the University of Ibadan; University of Ilorin, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso; Osun State University, Osogbo, Kwara State University, Malete, and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo. Professor Olaniran was joined at the press conference by the respective branch chairpersons: Adefemi Afolabi (UI), Alex Akanmu (UNILORIN), Ben Olujimi Dada (LAUTECH), Olaosebikan Wende (UNIOSUN), Shehu Abdulganiyu Salau (KWASU), and Michael Bamidele Ojo (EAUED).

Prof. Olaniran criticised the Federal Government’s approach, saying, “ASUU had expected that a government committed to national development, technological innovation, and advancement would work within the deadline by giving a marching order to its agents; unfortunately, the Federal Government has been engaging with the Union without the seriousness these issues deserve.”

“Regrettably, just about eight days to the expiration of the one-month window, nothing significant has been done other than the usual misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda.”

ASUU, while acknowledging “the release of part of the four-year promotion arrears, third-party deductions such as union dues, cooperative and pension deductions being flaunted by the government, however, maintained that these should not be misconstrued by Nigerians as having resolved the demands of ASUU.

The zonal coordinator disclosed that, “The just concluded National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUU held at Taraba State University, Jalingo on Saturday, 8th and Sunday, 9th November 2025 clinically X-rayed the state of our engagements with the Federal Government and Visitors to state universities.

“The current state of insecurity and excruciating economic situation in the country and its negative impacts on the welfare of the members of our ASUU call for great concern by all stakeholders in the educational sector.

“The role being played by government functionaries in the process of renegotiating the Agreement with the Union is negatively worrisome, to say the least.

“Unless the Federal Government holds the bull by the horns, by offering a competitive salary structure within the remaining timeline, our students in the public universities across the nation may have their academic calendars disrupted, once again.

“ASUU, Ibadan Zone, therefore, identifies the urgent need to prevail on governments to avert this looming crisis.

“The counter offers made by the Government through the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed-led Committee have been firmly rejected by our Union because it is inappropriate and unacceptable to make such ridiculous offers to academics who have been taking the same salaries for sixteen years.

“This falls below what many West African countries pay their academics, while Nigerian politicians are the highest paid political office holders in Africa, if not globally. What is lacking is the political will and not the resources to fund qualitative education in Nigeria.”

Prof. Olaniran stated that the three-and-a-half months’ salaries of our members in federal universities, held on account of the federal government that provoked the strike of our union in 2022, are still being withheld by the government.

“Many State Universities are yet to pay the withheld salaries, promotion arrears, and Earned Academic Allowances (EAA). For the avoidance of doubt, the Osun State University is yet to release the withheld salaries of the members of the Union from 2018 and 2020, and the arrears of the reduced 2015-2019 EAA.

“The story is the same at LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, where EAA and promotion arrears are still outstanding, KWASU has not benefited from EAA, and, like some other state universities in the country.

“Our Union strongly frowns at this indifferent, anti-progress, anti-labour, and inhumane act. We, therefore, demand the unconditional payment of all withheld salaries, promotion arrears, and outstanding EAA to the academic members of staff of universities who are members of ASUU.”