Strike Looms as ASUU Rejects New Governing Councils Appointed by Federal Government
Academic activities in Nigeria’s public universities are at risk of disruption as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the newly appointed governing council members by the federal government.
ASUU President Emmanuel Osodeke condemned the new list as unlawful, stating that it disregards the union’s demands and two-week strike notice.
On Friday, May 17, 2024, the federal Ministry of Education revealed appointees for the governing boards of 111 federal institutions.
In an interview with AITonline, Osodeke asserted that the new appointments do not satisfy the union’s call for the reinstatement of boards that were previously dissolved. He argued that these boards were dissolved illegally before their terms had ended.
Osodeke announced that ASUU would convene on Monday, May 28, to review the situation and determine their next steps.
The dissolution of all federal tertiary institution boards by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023 had already led to strikes, notably at the University of Abuja.
By law, the governing boards of universities are responsible for electing new vice chancellors, a duty not allocated to the outgoing vice chancellor or the minister of education.
Despite this, Chris Maiyaki, acting executive secretary of the National Universities Commission, has called on ASUU to prioritize students’ welfare and reconsider its planned actions.
