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Lecturers Threaten Fresh Showdown Over FG’s Unfulfilled Agreements

Published

5 months ago

November 17, 2025

University lecturers have cautioned that a fresh confrontation with the Federal Government may be unavoidable, citing unfulfilled agreements and what they described as a continued lack of genuine commitment during negotiations.

The Abuja Zonal Coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Adam Al-Amin Abdullahi, stated this while speaking with the press in Abuja on Monday.

Abdullahi, who was represented by the Chairman of ASUU at Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja), Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, said the union was compelled to brief Nigerians because the issues at the heart of our struggle remain far from resolved.”

He recalled that ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) had considered the government’s proposals on 21 October 2025 and accepted them in good faith, despite their being extremely inadequate.

According to him, the decision to suspend the two-week strike on 22 October was taken out of respect for our students, parents, the media, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and other well-meaning Nigerians.

“Nearly four weeks later, it is obvious that the Federal Government has not used the goodwill period effectively. The measures taken so far are inadequate and nowhere near addressing the fundamental issues. There is simply no sense of urgency.

“We believe that the best way to revitalise public universities is through sincere negotiation rather than propaganda. However, when agreements are broken, payments are withheld, or deception is employed in place of interaction, the Union has a moral and constitutional obligation to defend public education and safeguard its members.

“ASUU will not think twice about using every lawful tool at its disposal if the government continues to trivialise challenges that undermine the existence of public universities. In conclusion, we implore all Nigerians to persuade the government to take the necessary steps right away in order to prevent another preventable industrial crisis.

“The future of Nigeria’s public universities, as well as the future of our students, cannot be sacrificed on the altar of insincerity. indifference, and political grandstanding,” he said.

A key area of contention, he stated, remains the issue of salaries and working conditions.

Ugoh noted that the government’s proposed adjustments were merely tokenistic, insisting they were insufficient to halt the ongoing exodus of academics. “These proposals cannot restore honour to the profession, nor can they keep our best minds in the system,” he said.

He acknowledged some recent actions by the government, including the release of certain third-party deductions and partial payment of long-outstanding promotion arrears. Still, he dismissed them as confidence-building measures rather than concrete steps toward resolving the core issues.

According to him, government officials continue to exaggerate these minor moves as major achievements, adding that financial data shows both federal and state revenues have grown significantly in recent years, contradicting claims of limited resources.

The union maintained that several critical matters remain unresolved, including full renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, the release of withheld salaries for three and a half months, and the payment of outstanding wage awards and unremitted deductions.

“It is unfortunate that the Honourable Minister of Education has repeatedly made untrue public claims suggesting these issues have been resolved. Only a small fraction of what is owed has been released.”

“The combination of unpaid awards, withheld salaries, and chronic underfunding is crippling the university system. Students are suffering through prolonged calendars and disrupted learning. Lecturers are demoralised, and the quality of teaching and research is sinking.”

The Abuja Zone appealed to parents, students, civil society organisations, the National Assembly, and traditional rulers to demand transparency and accountability in the management of education resources. “Nigerians must reject false information and insist on verifiable evidence. This struggle is about the survival of public universities.”

While emphasising the union’s preference for dialogue, Ugoh cautioned that ASUU would not hesitate to act if necessary, urging Nigerians to pressure the government to act swiftly to avoid another avoidable crisis. “The future of our students and the stability of our universities cannot be sacrificed on the altar of insincerity and political grandstanding.”

News

UNIMAID, Federal Polytechnic Matriculate 82 Degree Students

Published

16 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in affiliation with the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi has matriculated 82 students into the degree programmes across five courses.

Speaking during the matriculation ceremony at the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi on Tuesday, Professor Muhammad Laminu Mele, the Vice chancellor, University of Maiduguri, charged the matriculated students to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations guiding the two institutions to enable them achieve the set objectives.

The VC, who was represented by Professor Muhammad Ahmad Waziri, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Services, warned that any student or group of students trying to breach the peace of the two institutions would face the full wrath of the law.

The Don further assured that the University and its affiliated institutions would continue to make easy access to higher quality education to the teeming population across the country.

In a remark, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Alhaji Sani Usman, said they were affiliated with the university to pursue academic excellence, describing the affiliation as a huge pillar in the education reforms.

The Rector, who was also represented by Dr. Dalhatu Saidu, the Deputy Rector of the Polymeric, commended the university of Maiduguri for not only improving the UNIMAID’s conducive learning environment but expanding the horizon to different higher institutions of learning across Nigeria.

He therefore advised the newly matriculated students to pursue knowledge, to interact freely with the Polytechnic staff, be vigilant and be a brother’s keeper, adding that this would help to achieve the desired objectives.

The affiliated courses included BSc Mass Communication, BSc Accountancy, BSc Public Administration, BSc Business Administration and BSc Banking and Finance respectively.

News

Trouble Looms As Egbesu Group Drags FG To Court Over Resource Control, Others

Published

16 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

Group known as Supreme Egbesu Assembly (SEA) has dragged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to a Federal High Court, Yenagoa, over failure to create additional 24 Local government councils in Bayelsa State as the need for Ijaw to control natural resources in its territory.

The Originating Summons marked: FHC/YNA/CS/63/2026 was filed on Tuesday April 21, 2026 by the plaintiffs including; Felix Tuodolo, Weri Digifa, Ebi Waribigha, Kabowei Akamade, Rosebella Jackson, Thomas Jacklloyd, Primrose Kpokposei, David Imole and Welman Warri at the Federal High Court Yenagoa.

Joined as defendants in the suit are the National Assembly, the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Attorney General of the Federation.

In the court documents, the Egbesu Assembly premised their action on the alleged failure of the federal government particularly the National Assembly to deliberate, approve and amend the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

This, according to them, is to allow for resource control as well as the creation of additional LGAs in the state to fulfil the requirements in line with the Constitution.

The group is therefore seeking, among others, the amendment of the constitution by the National Assembly to allow for the right to resource control.

The Supreme Egbesu Assembly described the suit action as a promise kept.

Mranwh, In a press statement announcing the institution of the lawsuit on Tuesday, the Egbesu Assembly recalled that, on 12th February 2026, it wrote to both the Federal Government and the National Assembly wherein its gave a 21-Day ultimatum for the duo to respond to the age-long demands for resource control and creation of additional LGAs or face a lawsuit.

The statement partly reads: “Recall that on 12th February 2026, we did inform you that we have written to the National Assembly and the federal government on the need for the creation of an additional 24 Local Government Areas in Bayelsa State as well as the control of our God-given natural resources in Ijaw territory.

“We promised that if the National Assembly and or federal government did not respond to these age-long demands, we were going to seek legal actions to address our demands.

News

BREAKING: Tinubu Sacks Wale Edun, Dangiwa As Ministers

Published

17 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved a minor reshuffle of the Federal Executive Council, removing the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, from their cabinet positions.

Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yomi Odunuga, said the development was contained in a memo signed by the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

According to the memo, Taiwo Oyedele has been appointed as the new Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

Also appointed is Dr. Muttaqha Darma as Minister-designate for Housing and Urban Development.

The memo directed the outgoing ministers to complete handover processes to their respective successors or supervising officials.

It stated that all handing over and taking over activities must be concluded on or before the close of business on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026.

Explaining the decision, Akume said the changes were aimed at improving coordination and strengthening delivery across key sectors of the economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Akume stated.

He added that President Tinubu acted in line with his constitutional powers as provided under Sections 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The SGF also conveyed the President’s appreciation to the outgoing ministers for their service to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours, noting that the process of cabinet reinvigoration would remain continuous.

The statement further noted that Taiwo Oyedele was appointed as Minister of State for Finance in March 2026, while Edun was among the ministers appointed on August 16, 2023.