ASUU: Why Union Called Off Eight-Month Strike — Osodeke

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has revealed the real reason it called off its eight-month industrial action.

The union called off its strike last Friday after the order by the Court of Appeal to resume work immediately as earlier ordered by the National Industrial Court (NIC)

However, ASUU's National President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke disclosed that the strike was called off in obedience to the order by the Appellate court, not because the union's issues with the government were resolved.

During an interview on Channels Television's Sunday Politics, Osodeke said;

"As you have seen from our press release – although they were interventions by the Speaker (Femi Gbajabiamila) and others – the major reason we are resuming is because we are obeying the industrial court’s judgement.

"The issues have not been fully resolved and no agreements signed.

“We are resuming because we are a law-abiding organisation and we don’t want to break the law.

"We are also hoping that the intervention of the Speaker as promised by him will resolve this problem within a very short time.

"So, the issues have not been resolved but we would resume because of that court injunction.”

The ASUU boss further blamed Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige for forcing the lecturers back to work by dragging them to court.

"But one of the ministers, the Minister of Labour, believes that the best way is to force them to class. But because of the interest of the Nigerian people – the students, their parents, and the Speaker who is intervening  – our members will teach."

He warned that the lecturer might be unmotivated to work if the 'no work no pay' policy stood.

Osodeke urged the government to pay the salaries of the teachers who also have to meet up with the backlog of lectures while they were away from work.