The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a stern warning about potential renewed industrial action against the Federal Government, citing unfulfilled agreements and what they describe as persistent insincerity during negotiations.
Broken Promises Trigger Fresh Confrontation
Professor Adam Al-Amin Abdullahi, the Abuja Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, revealed the union's position during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday. Represented by Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, Chairman of ASUU at Yakubu Gowon University, Abdullahi explained that the union felt compelled to alert Nigerians because the fundamental issues driving their struggle remain largely unresolved.
The union leader recalled that ASUU's National Executive Council had reviewed the government's proposals on October 21, 2025, and accepted them in good faith despite considering them inadequate. The decision to suspend the two-week strike on October 22, 2025 was made out of respect for students, parents, the media, and other concerned Nigerians.
Government's Inadequate Response
Nearly four weeks after the strike suspension, ASUU claims the Federal Government has failed to utilize the goodwill period effectively. The measures taken so far are inadequate and nowhere near addressing the fundamental issues, Abdullahi stated through his representative.
He emphasized that the union prefers sincere negotiation over propaganda but warned that when agreements are broken, payments withheld, or deception replaces honest interaction, ASUU has both moral and constitutional obligations to defend public education and protect its members.
The Abuja Zone coordinator cautioned that ASUU would not hesitate to employ every lawful means available if the government continues to trivialize challenges threatening the existence of public universities.
Critical Unresolved Issues
Several key matters remain contentious between the union and government:
- Complete renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement
- Release of withheld salaries for three and a half months
- Payment of outstanding wage awards and unremitted deductions
- Substantial improvements to salaries and working conditions
Dr. Ugoh dismissed the government's proposed salary adjustments as merely tokenistic, insisting they cannot restore honor to the academic profession or retain the best minds in the university system. He acknowledged some recent government actions, including the release of certain third-party deductions and partial payment of long-outstanding promotion arrears, but described these as confidence-building measures rather than concrete solutions to core problems.
Appeal to Nigerians
The union has appealed to parents, students, civil society organizations, the National Assembly, and traditional rulers to demand transparency and accountability in education resource management. Nigerians must reject false information and insist on verifiable evidence, Ugoh stated, emphasizing that the struggle concerns the survival of public universities.
While reaffirming ASUU's preference for dialogue, the union representative cautioned that they would not hesitate to take necessary action if the government continues to delay substantive resolutions. The future of Nigeria's public universities and our students cannot be sacrificed on the altar of insincerity, indifference, and political grandstanding, he concluded.
The union maintains that financial data shows both federal and state revenues have grown significantly in recent years, contradicting government claims of limited resources that prevent addressing their demands comprehensively.
