A reliable source at the just concluded National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) reportedly says the union resolved to embark on one-month “comprehensive and total” strike to compel the Nigerian government to acede its requests.
According to the source, who was part of the meeting, the union took the decision “reluctantly” despite interventions by many prominent Nigerians.
He said the decision was to save Nigeria’s university system considering what he described as the deteriorating state of Nigerian universities. He said government’s alleged recalcitrance made the position unavoidable.
“The indefinite and total strike is for four weeks,” Premium Times quoted the source to have said.
“We hope the government would do the needful within the next four weeks,” the source said in a terse statement on Monday morning.
ASUU had scheduled a meeting it tagged “NEC for NEC” for midnight on Sunday to take the final decision on behalf of the various congresses of its chapters.
The meeting was a follow-up to the then ongoing two-day marathon meeting which had kicked off on Saturday at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
ASUU rounded off its “NEC for NEC” meeting at about 3 a.m on Monday when the branch chairman of the union in UNILAG, Dele Ashiru, confirmed that the national President, Emmanuel Osodeke, would address the media by 9 a.m. on Monday.
Mr Ashiru, whose note was tagged; “ASUU press conference,” said he was inviting journalists on behalf of the national leadership of the union.
The note reads in part; “Dear colleague, good morning Ma\Sir. Pls ASUU’s NEC media briefing now to hold as follows; Date: MONDAY, Feb 14; Time: 9.00am; Venue… Tayo Aderinokun Auditorium, Behind Faculty of Law, University of Lagos.”
He apologised for the short notice.
Mr Ashiru, however, did not hint of the union’s final decision as he refused to pick follow-up calls from our reporter.
