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ASUU Declares Extension of Strike by Three Months
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has extende its ongoing strike for another three months.
A statement signed by ASUU president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, said this was to give the government enough time to satisfactorily resolve all the outstanding issues.
It also stated that the roll-over strike was effective from 12.01 am, May 9, 2021.
ASUU said it took this decision after its National Executive Council meeting which started on Sunday night at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja.
The statement read, “After extensive deliberations, noting Government’s failure to live up to its responsibilities and speedily address all the issues raised in the 2020 FGN/ASUU Memorandum of Action (MoA) within the additional eight-week roll–over strike period declared on 14th March 2022, NEC resolved that the strike be rolled over for twelve weeks to give Government more time to satisfactorily resolve all the outstanding issues.
“The roll-over strike action is with effect from 12.01 a.m. on Monday, 9th May 2022.”
The press release titled, ‘Update on ASUU roll-over strike,’ read, “The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) held an emergency meeting on Sunday, 8th May 2022 at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, Abuja.
“The meeting was called to review developments since the Union declared an eight-week total and comprehensive roll-over strike action at the end of its emergency NEC meeting at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, Abuja on 14th March, 2022. The strike action came on the heels of the Government’s failure to satisfactorily implement the Memorandum of Action (MoA) it signed with the Union in December 2020 on renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), funding for revitalization of public universities (both Federal and States), proliferation and governance issues in State Universities, promotion arrears, withheld salaries (owed for over 20 months in some cases), and Non-emittance of third-party deductions.”
It added that NEC noted with serious disappointment that the three-man Committee set up by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 1st February 2022 to resolve the lingering issues between ASUU and FGN had not called a single meeting to date.
“NEC was equally disappointed that ASUU’s only meeting with the Professor Nimi Briggs-led Renegotiation Committee did not reflect the expected level of understanding, preparation and clarity that undergird collective bargaining going by the Committee’s confession of “going about consulting stakeholders”. Unless urgent steps are taken to redirect the Committee on concluding a draft Agreement that has been pending since May 2021, its activities may end up as another wild goose chase,” it read.
ASUU NEC also condemned Federal Government’s cavalier attitude towards the strike action in the last twelve weeks, saying the government’s resort to the use of starvation as a weapon for breaking the collective resolve of ASUU members and undermine our patriotic struggle to reposition public universities in Nigeria was ill-advised and may prove counterproductive.
The statement said, “NEC was shocked that public universities have remained closed for about three months while members of the political class were busy purchasing expression of interest and nomination forms worth several millions of Naira in preparations for 2023 elections! Those in power turned their back on our degraded universities as they shuttle between Europe and America to celebrate the graduation of their children and wards from world class universities. This speaks volumes on the level of depravity, insensitivity, and irresponsibility of Nigeria’s opportunistic and parasitic political class.
“The result of the criminal neglect of education and gross mismanagement of the nation’s patrimony is evident in the collapse of the security architecture of our nation. Insecurity is getting worse by the day and spreading like the harmattan inferno in hitherto peaceful and secured parts of Nigeria, including university campuses. ASUU warns, once more, that unless something drastic is done to reverse these ugly trends, the country may be headed for a state of anarchy.
“NEC condemned the provocative statements of some government functionaries and salutes the Nigerian Labour Congress, patriotic students’ groups and civil society organisations who have taken steps towards resolving the current labour dispute with the Nigeria government.
However, Osodeke told our correspondent, that the union had yet to receive any notice of meeting from any Federal Government ministry.
Some of ASUU’s demands include the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the UTAS payment platform for the payment of salaries and allowances of university lecturers.
The Punch
Arsenal ended their 22-year wait to be crowned Premier League champions on Tuesday after Manchester City were held 1-1 by Bournemouth.
City had to win to take the title fight to the final day, but the Cherries extended their unbeaten streak to 17 league games, a run which has secured European football for the first time in the club’s history.
After finishing second for the past three seasons, Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have finally made it over the line to end a six-year trophy drought.
Arsenal edged to the brink of the title with an unconvincing 1-0 win over already relegated Burnley on Monday, which took them five points clear of City.
The Gunners, who have set the pace for most of the season, have bounced back impressively since losing to City last month, winning four straight league matches without conceding a goal.
On Monday, just 48 hours after completing a domestic cup double with victory over Chelsea in the FA Cup final, City were rocked by widespread reports that manager Pep Guardiola will depart after a decade in charge at the end of the season.
Victory at Wembley on Saturday secured a 20th trophy of Guardiola’s glorious reign.
But he cannot add to his six Premier League titles when Aston Villa visit the Etihad on Sunday for what is expected to be his final match in charge.
Guardiola had warned that fatigue could cost City against a highly motivated Bournemouth, who still have Champions League qualification in their sights for next season.
As it stands, Bournemouth will be in the Europa League after ensuring they will finish no lower than seventh.
Sixth could be good enough for a place in the Champions League if Aston Villa finish fifth and win Wednesday’s Europa League final.
City fans forlornly chanted “One more year, Guardiola” in the early stages at the Vitality Stadium in a bid to convince their decorated coach to see out the final season of his contract.
But if the travelling fans hoped City’s players would be inspired to give Guardiola a glorious goodbye, they were left sorely disappointed.
Antoine Semenyo had the ball in the net on his return to Bournemouth but was flagged offside in City’s best moment of a flat first half.
The home side suddenly sprang to life to open the scoring in the 39th minute.
Eli Junior Kroupi curled a brilliant strike into the top corner to set a new record of 13 goals in a debut Premier League season for a teenager.
Nico O’Reilly wasted City’s best chance of a lifeline when he was denied by Djordje Petrovic just seconds into the second half.
Guardiola watched on pensively as his side’s title challenge fizzled out with a whimper.
After winning what was billed a title decider against Arsenal last month, City put the destiny of the title back in their rivals’ hands by drawing 3-3 at Everton.
Guardiola looks set to depart having failed to win the league for two consecutive seasons for the first time in his coaching career.
Rayan and David Brooks hit the post as Bournemouth should have secured victory in Andoni Iraola’s final home game in charge.
Erling Haaland’s equaliser deep into stoppage time came too little, too late to save City’s title challenge.
But it was a big goal for Liverpool, who now have a three-point cushion over Bournemouth and a goal difference advantage of six heading into the final day battle to secure a top-five finish and Champions League football.
AFP
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of N100m over charges bordering on alleged breach of national security.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, while ruling on the bail application, imposed stringent conditions for the former governor’s release.
The court held that the surety must reside in either the Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property with the court registry.
The judge further ruled that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and must provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, authenticated by a bank manager within the court’s jurisdiction.
As part of the conditions, El-Rufai was ordered to deposit all valid international passports with the court.
The court also directed the submission of a verification letter from the surety’s department, along with a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.
In addition, the judge ordered the former governor to report to the Department of State Services headquarters on the last Friday of each month by 10 am to sign the attendance register, pending the determination of the case.
The court warned that any breach of the conditions would result in the bail being automatically revoked.
Justice Abdulmalik further ordered El-Rufai to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council.
The bail ruling followed the arraignment of the former governor by the Department of State Services on an amended five-count charge bordering on alleged breach of national security.
The DSS had, on April 23, arraigned El-Rufai before the same court, where he pleaded not guilty to all counts.
At the proceedings, counsel for the DSS, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), informed the court that the prosecution had filed a further amended five-count charge on April 13 and sought to substitute the earlier three-count charge.
Count four of the amended charges marked marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, reads “That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, intentionally and without authorization, intercepted the communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as admitted by you on 13″ February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.”
Counsel to the defendant, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), confirmed receipt of the amended charge and did not oppose the application.
The court subsequently struck out the earlier three-count charge and read the amended counts to El-Rufai, who again pleaded not guilty.
The defence had drawn the court’s attention to a pending bail application filed on February 17, noting that a further affidavit initially missing from the court file was later located during proceedings.
The DSS, however, told the court that it was not opposing the bail request.
The defence also filed an application seeking to quash the amended charge, which the prosecution urged the court to dismiss for lacking merit.
After hearing arguments from both parties, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter for hearing before delivering the bail ruling on Monday.
The Congress of Northern Democrats (CND), on Thursday, accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of destabilising opposition politics and undermining Northern interests through what it described as his “perpetual presidential ambition.”
The group alleged that the former vice president had consistently placed personal ambition above opposition unity, national renewal and generational transition.
Chairman of the group, Comrade Musa Adamu, said in a statement that the CND expressed disappointment over reports that Atiku may be preparing for what would be his seventh attempt at the presidency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the statement, Nigerians are currently battling hunger, insecurity, inflation, unemployment and worsening economic hardship, conditions which require opposition leaders to unite around a credible rescue agenda rather than engage in what it called endless political calculations.
Adamu said: “At a time when millions of Nigerians are crushed by hunger, insecurity, unemployment, inflation, and deepening economic despair, the opposition ought to be rallying around a coherent national rescue agenda.
“Instead, what Nigerians continue to witness is the recycling of old political ambitions, elite ego battles, and endless power calculations headed by Atiku which is disconnected from the suffering of ordinary citizens.
“The North, in particular, must now ask difficult but necessary questions: What exactly has Atiku Abubakar’s endless presidential project achieved for the North or Nigeria? Since 1993, he has remained perpetually in pursuit of power, moving from one platform to another.
“Dominating opposition arrangements, negotiating alliances, and positioning himself as indispensable, yet the opposition today is weaker, more fragmented, and more directionless than ever before courtesy of his greed and manipulation.
“The CND regrets that Atiku has consistently demonstrated a troubling political pattern that whenever his personal ambition is not guaranteed, the stability and cohesion of opposition platforms become secondary.
“Rather than serving as a bridge-builder capable of uniting aggrieved political blocs against a failing government, he has become a recurring source of division, distrust, and internal instability within the opposition space.
“This is precisely why many Nigerians increasingly believe that the opposition’s inability to present a united front is indirectly a plus to the ruling APC. Whether intentionally or otherwise, the outcome remains that a fractured opposition will betray Nigerians to continue to suffer unprecedented hardship.”
The CND also lamented what it described as the failure of coalition platforms such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to fully emerge as rallying points for Nigerians seeking alternatives to economic hardship and insecurity.
He added: “It is deeply unfortunate that younger Nigerians with fresh ideas, modern political thinking, energy, and grassroots credibility continue to be denied meaningful opportunities because Atiku and his likes are unwilling to step aside. No democracy can grow when leadership circulation is constantly blocked by the same individuals for decades.
“The CND states categorically that Northern Nigeria does not need another cycle of recycled ambition. The region today faces existential crises of terrorism, banditry, collapsing agriculture, poverty, mass youth unemployment, and widespread disillusionment.
“What the North requires are courageous, visionary, and selfless leaders capable of building consensus, mentoring younger generations, and prioritising collective progress over personal political obsession.
“We therefore call on Nigerians, particularly Northern youths, civil society groups, professionals, and political stakeholders, to reject personality-driven politics and begin the urgent task of rebuilding a principled opposition founded on competence, sacrifice, integrity, ideas, and generational renewal.
“The North and Nigeria deserve leadership focused on solutions, not endless campaigns built around one man’s lifelong pursuit of power.”
