ASUU raises fresh strike alarm, says FG lack political will

From Shafa’atu Suleiman, Sokoto

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sokoto Zone, has warned that Nigeria’s public universities may be headed for another nationwide shutdown unless the Federal Government shows genuine commitment to resolving lingering issues in the tertiary education system.

Addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Sokoto, the Zonal Coordinator, Professor Abubakar Sabo, faulted the government for what he described as “inconsistent and disappointing behaviour” in ongoing negotiations.

He said the union’s October warning strike was suspended to allow for peaceful dialogue, but the government has failed to utilise the one-month window granted by ASUU’s National Executive Council.

According to him, core demands around lecturers’ salaries, university autonomy and the worsening condition of state-owned institutions remain largely unattended.

He disclosed that while a few non-monetary issues have recorded minor progress, the government’s proposed salary adjustment for academic staff remains “grossly inadequate and incapable of reversing the massive brain drain crippling the university system.”

Prof. Sabo also dismissed the recent partial payment of promotion arrears,some outstanding and release of third-party deductions dating back since 2017 as mere “confidence-building gestures,” not solutions.

He expressed concern over the state of universities within the Sokoto Zone, highlighting critical lapses such as the absence of governing councils at Shehu Shagari University of Education, unpaid allowances at Sokoto State University, stalled promotions and Earned Academic Allowances at AFUSTA, and the lack of enabling laws for federal universities in Birnin Kebbi and Gusau more than a decade after their establishment.

“For the Federal University of Agriculture, Zuru, it remains the only university in the country established and made operational without a take-off grant,” he added.

The union argued that the government can no longer claim financial constraints, pointing to FAAC records which show that federal allocations increased from ₦3.42 trillion in 2022 to ₦4.65 trillion in 2024, while states’ allocations rose from ₦3.92 trillion to ₦5.81 trillion in the same period.

“This clearly shows that the real challenge is not funding, but political will,” ASUU stated.

The union urged traditional rulers, civil society groups, labour unions, students and the wider public to intensify pressure on the Federal Government to honour existing agreements and safeguard the future of university education in the country.

ASUU vowed to remain committed to dialogue but warned that failure to achieve a comprehensive resolution within the remaining days of the renegotiation period could trigger another nationwide industrial action.