ASUU Congress Meeting Ends Today As Branches Votes For Indefinite Strike

Barring a last-minute change, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will declare an indefinite strike over the Federal Government’s failure to meet its demands. Reports have it that most of the over 123 branches of the union have completed their congresses. Others are expected to round off theirs today. An ASUU leader, who declined to be named, said a proposal for the indefinite strike would be ratified and adopted at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of ASUU scheduled for Sunday. He said:

“None of the branches, including the University of Abuja, voted for anything other than an indefinite strike.

“All the branches of ASUU are expected to finish their congresses tomorrow (today) and pass their report to NEC.

“NEC will have to meet and review the decisions of all of the branches and decide on what to do.”

Minister of Education Adamu Adamu had said last week that the insistence of ASUU on the payment of the withheld salaries was stalling negotiations by the parties.

He added that the government had met all the demands of ASUU, except the arrears payment which President Muhammadu Buhari rejected when a proposal to the effect was presented to him.

Earlier yesterday, the Ibadan zone of ASUU alleged that ‘Undertakers of privatisation’ are waiting in the wings to take over Federal Government–owned universities.

The zone said the main goal of the “undertakers ” was to deny children of the poor university education.