JUST IN: ASUU Suspends Two-Week Warning Strike After Overnight NEC Meeting

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its ongoing two-week warning strike after a crucial overnight meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) in Abuja.

National President of the union, Prof. Chris Piwuna, announced the suspension during a press briefing on Wednesday, explaining that the decision came after “useful engagements” with representatives of the Federal Government.

According to Piwuna, the NEC meeting, which began on Tuesday and ended around 4:00 a.m. Wednesday, reviewed the outcome of discussions held with government officials on the lingering issues that triggered the strike.

“We’ve had useful engagements with representatives of the government to consider the response to the draft renegotiation of the 2009 agreement,” he said.
“However, we are definitely not where we were prior to the commencement of the strike.”

The ASUU leader noted that the government had shown some willingness to return to the negotiation table, prompting the union to review its industrial action.

“While noting that a lot more work is still required, NEC came to the conclusion that the ongoing strike should be reviewed. The decision to review the strike action was a result of efforts by our students, parents, and the Nigeria Labour Congress,” Piwuna added.

He said the suspension was meant to reciprocate the appeals of well-meaning Nigerians who had intervened in the crisis.

ASUU had declared a total and comprehensive warning strike on October 13, over what it described as the government’s persistent failure to implement agreements and address key welfare and funding concerns in public universities.

The union’s demands include the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement, release of withheld three-and-a-half months’ salaries, revitalisation funding for public universities, and an end to the victimisation of lecturers in Lagos State University, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.

Other demands are the payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears, promotion arrears of over four years, and the release of withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative contributions and union dues.

Though the warning strike has been suspended, the union emphasized that it remains “vigilant” and expects government to act in good faith within the window provided by the gesture.