ASUU president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke [PHOTO CREDIT: @ASUU.org.ng]

ASUU faces criticism over call against APC govt

Mr Osodeke did not mention any specific leader or political party but it is assumed his comment was directed at the ruling All Progressives Congress.

ByQosim Suleiman

 

 August 13, 2022

 



Some Nigerians on social media at the weekend condemned the call by the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Emmanuel Osodeke, that the leaders who have allowed the union’s strike to linger should be voted out of power during the 2023 general elections.

Mr Osodeke said the union was mobilising Nigerians, enlightening them on why and how they should use their voters’ cards.
Mr Osodeke, who spoke in a recent media interaction which was aired by the Africa Independent Television (AIT) lamented the poor response of the Nigerian government to his union’s agitation.
He accused the government of insensitivity towards the plight of Nigerian students, parents and the university system, saying it allowed the ivory towers to be shut down in February.
He said Nigerians should vote out all those who have watched the ASUU strike linger for almost six months.
He said; “We also appeal to Nigerians, this is their life. And the beauty is that, in the next five to six months, there is an election, they should hold their PVC. For all those who have subjected them to this, they should vote them out. It’s their right. They should use the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC).
A stack of Permanent Voter Cards, PVC.
“We are mobilising Nigerian people. We are educating Nigerian people to know that the present set of leaders have no feelings for Nigerian students, and have no feelings for Nigeria as a country. And that is why they are looking down on the education system, allowing the universities to be shut down for almost six months without response.”



While the ASUU president did not mention any leader or political party, many Nigerians who assumed his comment was directed at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accused the union of being political with its current industrial action.



A twitter user @StFreakingKezy tweeted: “ASUU is just the education wing of PDP”.



Another user @GbengaGOLD said: “ASUU has shown their hand and I hope FG will simply take them to the Industrial Court and get a judgement that forces them back to work. Clearly partisan at this point.”
“The ASUU President confirmed the strike was about next year’s election. Well, most sensible Nigerians knew that a long time ago hence the deliberate stalling and refusal to bend. It’s unfortunate they’re making many suffer including their members,” @dryaks tweeted.
Another tweet by @ahafizmarusa reads: “The negotiation is likely not happening soon. ASUU has taken a political stance maybe to blackmail FG into submission but it might backfire and at the end we the students will continue to suffer their failure to reconcile this issue.”

Strike

ASUU embarked on strike in February to demand better funding for the university system and better remuneration for its members.
The union also wants the government to replace the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) with the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a payment platform for its members.
ASUU said IPPIS is marred with irregularities and does not recognise the peculiarities of universities.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on 19 July ordered the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to take over negotiations with the striking lecturers from his counterpart at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, as the strike lingers.
President Muhammadu Buhari
Mr Adamu reportedly told the President that he could address the issues “within two to three weeks” if allowed to do so.

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However, almost two weeks after his pledge, ASUU renewed its strike by another four weeks on 1 August.
Meanwhile, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the minister will brief Nigerians on the state of negotiations with the workers union next Thursday.

Again, Buhari appeals to striking workers

Meanwhile, President Buhari, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, a professor, has again appealed to ASUU to reconsider its stance on the ongoing strike.
Professor Ibrahim Gambari [PHOTO CREDIT: Bashir Ahmad]The President, who spoke on Friday at a special convocation ceremony organised to confer honorary doctorate degree on a business mogul, Muhammadu Indimi, by the University of Maiduguri on Friday, said; “The nation cannot afford long interruption of higher education of the youths and wouldn’t undermine the development of the nation’s human capital in a strictly competitive world”.
ASUU is not the only university-based union on strike.
The Non-academic Staff Union of Educational and other Associated Institutions (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) are also on strike over similar demands.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/548502-ASUU-faces-criticism-over-call-against-apc-govt.html

Honour agreements oh FG!

May Tinubu health condition happen to those who criticize ASUU

Amen

Hehehe.

Wicked people,so ASUU should keep quiet or rather support a government who has no iota of respect and care for them.

All these paid writers should continue,the breakfast by APC go reach everybody.

ASUU we are solidly behind you.

To the obidient movement,

The youths have found a voice in being obidient. The youths have found a platform for sounding their voices, the youths are ever ready to show their resolve in rescuing their nation. The youths chose Peter obi and not the other way round, his ideals, his moral capacity and his records are enviable, while resonating with the thought process of Nigerian youths.

To the youths , I greet you, I applaud you, this is a fight for your voices to be heard. The naysayers fight everyday to discourage you, they attack you with lies and accuse you of bullying. Don't be discouraged, you are only taking a political position in Nigeria's affairs.

However I have to tell you the vision for the obidient movement. The movement must go beyond the campaign and sensitization season, the movement must fight to the very end. The goal of enthroning the youth's choice to lead us will be achieved, however the job is not yet done. The naysayers and detractors are already planning on how to make the presidency of your choice a bad one. Through their terrorist activities. The intend to graduate from naysayers to terrorists, they will attack the land with media lies, sponsored attacks of terrorism, insider jobs with sponsored moles and many more evils they can muster. Be ready for such eventuality when your choice wins, be ready to defend your choice in office, he/she will have it rough at the beginning, but once the enemies of the nation see your continuing resolve to fight for a Nigeria of your vision, they will eventually back away and allow your choice to paddle Nigeria forward.

Even after your choice leaves office, the next generation of obidient youths must exercise their rights through the movement to pick the best Nigerian to lead the nation again. The right to pick who leads this nation must always be by the youths of that age. The youths of that age will always be the decision makers on who would pilot the affairs of the nation. Only the competent and morally just of candidates will qualify. Great men and women from all parts of Nigeria, will have a chance to pitch to the obident nigerian youths, they will sell their ideas and characters and the youths will vote to make their choice president and other elective posts. The naysayers will see your success and join your ranks and Nigeria will become great again.

Don't be scared of losing, be motivated in expressing your vision. To lose is part and parcel of elections, just as it is to win. The fear of losing should never be an encumbrance to stop you from expressing your voice and choice. The youths will always be the enlightened generation, the detribalized generation, the religiously fluid generation and it is on your efforts and your choices, that every new Nigeria will be built.

Ensure that this first journey , which will be a start of a life long journey is accomplished without violence, without tribal and religious hatred, without corruption and with our firm motto of "we no dey give shishi". God is our patron and he will ordain our choices everyday you fight for the good of Nigeria.

Be obidient and useful.

ASUU sef don overdo

Moferere:
ASUU sef don overdo

Why FG is doing fine, right?

Lie Lie. ASUU and govt deh mad shaa. They should settle their problems.

Any one criticizing ASUU for this should be held , chained and dumped in a psychiatric facility with reckless abandon

The FG should audit every University in ASUU account.

What have they been using the money they have been giving all this while for.

Parachoko:
The FG should audit every University in ASUU account.

What have they been using the money they have been giving all this while for.

You sound pained...

The citizens have rejected APC and Tinubu, or is ASSU Ibo people alone?

Mumu man...

they did same against PDP in 2014 so no big deal

Very soon they will say ASUU is representative of Igbo people.

By 2023 all Nigerians will become Igbo in the eyes of Tinubu supporters.

Buhari and APC is evil. Every sane Nigerian should vote out APC

Zombidients and Obituarists are mannerless indeed.

Hav they forgotten that the same ASUU went on strike under same PDP ?

ASUU betrayed PDP and ran to APC but now that PDP have induced the corrupt ASUU they now Want to run back to PDP


ASUU are politically affiliated to PDP that's why they refused all negotiations.

You mean Apc and Tinubu urrchins? No sane Nigeria will castigate ASUU and leave the inept government alone.