Anxiety as students, parents await ASUU’s decision to suspend its eight months old strike

AS Nigerian students and parents await the decision of the Academic Staff Union of Universities on its latest strike threat, tension has heightened over the possibility of the lecturers suspending its eight months old strike or not.

The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) is locked in a marathon meeting to decide if the union should suspend its eight months old strike or not

A member of the National Executive Council of ASUU confirmed this to The Nation.

The meeting is still ongoing as of the time of filing this report.

The NEC member said the meeting is holding at the National headquarters of ASUU located at the University of Abuja.

The NEC member revealed that the majority of the branches of ASUU voted for suspension of the strike in line with the order of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.

The ASUU leader said an official position would be communicated to the public on Friday at the end of the meeting.

The university lecturers accused the government of failing to honour the agreement signed in 2020 at the end of their strike that lasted for ten months.

After a breakdown in negotiation with the government team, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige referred the matter to the National Industrial Court for arbitration.

Last month, the industrial Court ordered the union to immediately resume work.

But ASUU, through its lawyers, appealed the ruling.

However, the Appeal Court upheld the ruling of the Industrial Court that directed the university lecturers to resume work.

Also, after a series of meetings with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, ASUU President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke expressed hope that the industrial dispute would soon be over.

Nigerians are waiting for the outcome of today’s NEC meeting.