Leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday moved from Abuja to their respective campuses expecting crackdown, as the Federal Government has issued several threats.
President Goodluck Jonathan might no longer be directly involved in negotiation with the lecturers: he is angry for the ASUU leaders’ contempt for the office of the President, their decision to issue new conditions and theim being allegedly backed by some external forces.
After spending almost a week in Abuja in hopes of resuming talks, the ASUU leaders were eventually left with no other option but to go back to their campuses.
A top leader of ASUU said on conditions of anonymity: “Our leaders have returned to their campuses. They were disappointed with the Area Boy or Agbero method adopted by the Minister.
“The military style of the Minister of State for Education will only compound the situation.
“So, we are back to our trenches as it was the situation during the military era. We are ready for the worst now. If the situation becomes uncontrollable, we will also go underground and resort to guerilla tactics.”
Meanwhile, a source within the Federal Government said: “We hope that they will not overreach their bounds, because what they have done in the last four months amounted to economic sabotage.
“If they continue to take the law into their hands by paralysing activities in the universities, we may try them for economic sabotage. This is also the extreme end the government may go too.
“Let them study the enabling laws to see what they have been violating. We are not yet disposed to wielding the big stick, but if the government is pushed to the wall, it will invoke relevant laws to manage the situation. We are waiting for what they will do.”
A different source added: “”ll the security agencies have been directed to protect lives and property on all the campuses nationwide, especially in the universities that have reopened.
“Union leaders are also under watch to prevent recourse to self-help, which may lead to wanton destruction of property.
“The government will not tolerate any intimidation or harassment, and any violent union leader risks being arrested. But those who restrict themselves to the confines of the law have nothing to fear.”
On Jonathan’s position, a government source said: “We are trying to insulate the Office of the President from further negotiation with ASUU if at all the union will allow such or there will be room for such.
“We think relevant ministers and the Committee of Pro-Chancellors/Vice-Chancellors should be able to handle the rest of the talks/negotiation.”
According to investigation, the December 4, 2013 ultimatum given by the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, followed the directive of the Presidency.
The government source added: “The President is angry because he over-indulged ASUU leaders. It is only in Nigeria you see the President sitting for 13 hours with union leaders on any issue and at the end of the day, there will be no courtesy from the union.
“While the President was expecting feedback from ASUU leaders within 72 hours, they kept him in suspense for two weeks or more.
“And instead of feedback on where the talks stopped, ASUU leaders came up with fresh conditions when even during the negotiation, they admitted that some of the clauses in 2009 agreement cannot be implemented.
“The President is human. He now has every cause to believe that the strike action seems to have the backing of external forces seeking to bring his administration down. That was why he decided to come down hard on ASUU, too.”
Source: The Nation
Asuu has over stepped its boundaries.bt i compel the president to live upto its responsibility.
ASUU are fools and they need to be dealt with. How on earth would they sat on a meet with the president of the federal republic of Nigeria, the giant of Africa and they disrespect him. Please let call wat is wrong wrong. ASUU are not showing respect to the presidency and we should condemn it before people from outside will start to see us as nothing. The president asked them to call off strike they didn’t only to come back with a condition to the presidency against the discussion in the meet. maybe because the president is not a retired military so anybody can say anytin or do anyhow he or she wants. better we correct it now because if we let it succeed now it will be a continues pattern. ASUU must apologize to the presidency before any other negotiation remember anybody might be the president tomorrow. If the don’t like the president the should know that they are spoiling the country for us, the country does not belong to Jonathan he will step down one day nd dat person they think will save the country will come and save us without us complaining. ASUU needs punishment for disrespecting the number one of this country.
Disrespect who? how can GEJ seat with them without good outcome with this don’t you know he is not competent leader? they want him to sign and and chief justice of the federation and make sure they pay what they both agree to be paying annually to the ASUU but they failed to sign only want them to back to work without concrete agreements…..this is lies they want him to sign, since he make promise with them some years back and failed them this time GEJ need to sign in other for ASUU to resume…
@ ola amudu…Do you read your comment before posting it on here, you should study and read well before posting rubbish on the page and why you supporting GEJ? I think ASUU are fighting for their right and what they are fighting for it for the betterment of the country call NIGERIA
oga shut ur mouth…are u a learner right ni right ko…big fool
Who is asuu. They need to be banned. Because they are causing nuisance in this country. Especially education sector. Those lecturers that fail to resume shoulde be sack straight ahead. There are so many qualified graduate with msc and phd waitng for that positions. Is asuu above the law. Imagine holding the full country to ransome for 6month.most of the lectures are confused fools.all the vice chancellor are not in support of their wicked act.i believ any reasonabe student will not support asuu by now.
I don’t understand asuu any longer.they said dey ar fighting for students n dey are not ready to sacrifice four months salary to d fight. Am suspecting dem o! For embezzlement.
It is high time nigerian universty students nd odas who care 2 here 2 know dat Asuu as a body is self centre,greedy,dubius,humbless,cutsyless and aboved all wicked coz we can no longer say de ar fightin for our progress but for our retrogretion,havin sat wit d number one citezen of dis country for over 13 hours and are still adamant towards endin d lingering strike it is indeed unfortunate for d people we tink are intellectual wit dis unworthy character de possess.perhaps as a comrades who ar strugglin for d betterment of education sector should b fightin for progressive ideas instead of going d other way round.At dis point i must conclude by urgin Asuu 2 have a rethink and not 2 remain stubborn wit dia employer.
By the special grace of GOD,this administration will come down.It will collapse because it is not sincere.Who is Jonathan before GOD not to sit for more than 13hrs to resolve issues borthering on Nigerian poor children?Surely your administration will see the wrought of GOD as you decide to treat our children this way.Your girl friend bought bullet proof cars,nothing happen.Your kings man took our money to Benen Republic to establish university,nothing happen but only to ferry him back to Nigeria in presidential jet.TY
Ola amudu,you are an idiot.This Good-luck,is he not a human being like you and i?If he is truly the giant of Africa,let him act like one and stop being selfish for goodness sake.
Pple write rubbish jst bcos of sentiment..Asuu shud be cautioned..tnxz
By the special grace of GOD,this administration will come down.It will collapse because it is not sincere.Who is Jonathan before GOD not to seat for more than 13hrs to resolve issues borthering on Nigerian poor children?Surely your administration will see the wrought of GOD as you decide to treat our children this way.Your girl friend bought bullet proof cars,nothing happen.Your kings man took our money to Benen Republic to establish university,nothing happen but only to ferry him back to Nigeria in presidential jet.Former VP also has his own AUN,present senate president is reported to be contemplating on one.GEJ you too will jion the league as you have said that Ghana universities closed for one year.
you talk like you dont reason…has it ever been done before or are u just being pesimistic go and die jonathan haters
SOME YRS AGO NOLYWOOD WAS GIVEN MILIONS JUST 4 NOTING BY JONTAN, MANY PEOPLE LOOTED, HE SHOULD REDEEM HIS PROMISE TO ASU
All of u who ar siding asuu in this issue ar all big fools expecialy ppl like Gere or what eva u call ur self. if i may ask u, were u d one who piloted Dokubo back to naija in d presidencial jet? u ar just being jealous and i will advice u to desist from such attitude as u will only end up a poor man. idiot. who is asuu and what ar they fighting for? they av diacussion wit d president n promise to take the outcome of their meeting home n discuss wit their members n naija students were waitin as they them selves said their meetin wit d president was indeed a way 4ward only 4 them to come back weeks after their scheduled date to request for some salaries they neva worked for, n u seat here n tell me that this ppl ar fightin for the interest of d naija students. i dont blame them. its bcus GEJ is d soft type. can they try such to OBJ? rubish
look the whole thing was going fine until the so-called minister came in with his malicious advice to the presidency, look federal government should start something ASUU will comply, sacking wouldn’t help the situation it only will aggravate the MOU.
i am no more in support with ASUU cos its obvious they are fightin for themselves and no longa for the students as dey claimed.. But the truth is that i dont tink its the best way..i mean forcin dem to resume because the students wil be the one to suffer it as they wont teach wholeheartedly …rememba u can force a horse to the well but cant force it to drnk water.
All of u are sure disgrace to d upcoming generatn,what do u think we d younger ones are learning 4rm u?mteew
ASUU has no right to request for 4 months salary they did nt work for. They are so wicked n stupid, after wasting students tym at home for no reason 4 months salary ko 4 months salary ni, dey dnt even hv single respect for the president
ASUU are selfish and politically motivated, they don’t really have the interest of education and student. Is lyk some of the ASUU NEC have som hiden agenda politically. ASUU should also make som sacrifice, i support them b4 but they have cross their boundaries and turn it politically. God help our education sector and Nigeria as a whole
May be FGN is supporting the Bokoharam to get ride of education in the country
I think those supporting d FG have not been following d whole story n dey really didn’t read d new conditions dat ASSU gave. In my opinion, ASSU didn’t give new conditions, wat dey did was just asking d FG to fulfill deir promises. For dose dat don’t knw d so called new conditions, dey are
1. Since FG promised to pay d money installmentally, dey should pay d 2012/2013 installment bcos dis is already Dec.
2. D attorney general of d federation or any other high ranked officer in d same rank with d attorney general should sign dis new agreement.
3. The FG should pay dem deir 4months salaries in arreas b4 dey can resume i.e July-Oct.
I can’t really remember d last one, buh I believe dat if d FG is not trying to play some fast one on dese intellectuals, wat dey are asking is d fulfillment of deir agreement.
u ar the one who has not been following put yourself in jonathans shoes do u think u will act any better…person wey never fit control his own immediate family they criticize jonathan my guy shut up abeg
If your aritcles are always this helpful, “I’ll be back.”
Lets wait on the deadline n see who will force the other to drink water from d stream
Fed Gvmt can pay if she wantu bet she dnt wantu. She’s playing wit nija’s intelligent fr 2015 is approaching. Lest pray4 nija. Who eva wish shall nt prosper. Say amen..
my fellow naija now is the time to throw resentiments on any one I neither asuu nor the president becos they ain’t going for the solu ,they should re-think cause violent only beget violent
Who eva wish bad or evil shall nt prosper.. Say amen.
you and ur muslim brothers are the ones destroying dis country…instead of calling ur uncle fagge to order u are here blabbing….how did u even get here in the first place i thought u were supposed to be selling suya by now….may Allah help ur stupidity
If truly Asuu is fighting for good,what is 4 months salary that they cannot sacrifice for the good? I think Asuu has a hidden agenda.May God save our Educational sector.
President Jonathan has been forced by his opponents to loose a score. We admire his way of handling issues. He is humility, tact and cool heasesness endears him to his supporters. He is not known for temper, violence or millitanancy. He is allowed people who work to impress him to also giide him into this current face off with asuu in a war that he has already won. All he needed was to listen to asuu leaders and tell them the conditions he could meet and the ones he could not with reasons. If he did this it would have been a fight for asuu exco and members. This his military position is going to leave wars on campus. Asuu has stident supporters. If Jonathan uses military to subdue lecturers will he check mate anti and pro asuu students who will fight in the classropms, labs, libs, hostels etc. Teachers do not only teach and research but also guide students, control them and provide formal and informal advising. How will our president force lecturers to do these other unquantifiable jobs with guns? As a mother, I am afraid that the Fed govt is going to revive cultism of both staff and students membership. We had seen this govt stragy before. It will affect the quality of instruction. The international community will question silently all certificate awarded by Nig universities within this period. I would rather have my child in the house for 2yrs than to be certified under this situation. Joe you were part of asuu and strikes before why do you subject our children to this. You know the what lecturers can do better than your minister. Please call asuu leaders back and embrace dialogue. Joe you have enough problems with security, party division and ur healh. Do not smear ur reputation. You are giving shameless opportunists voice. If you do come back in 2015 you will stil when Nigerians compare. The birds on the corridor of power will not be there when you go down. It cost us so much to put uou on that seat. Do not underrate our sacrfice. Follow the part of dialogue no matter the time.
seriously everybody has rights to their various opinions. but lets call a spade a spade. both Fg and asuu have their individual faults. asuu just destroyed everything by demanding for their salaries, dey have only succeeded in explaining to us that dey have being fighting for their selfish interests all along. And for those saying somebody bought bullet proof cars, i want you all to understand that Nigeria’s wealth is like an ocean, everyone dives in and out and it dries not. lets stop judging so dt we won’t be judged.
Im in support with Prince Henry comment, 9ija need an iron hand 2 ballot D affairs of dis Nation, we did nt need weak Leader, let C who win D race. Who is ASUU…
Some fellows are fool in this site. How can someone who call himself/herself a student still support asuu at this time. When u can see what is going on. U better shine ur eyes and dont let asuu to play u like a moron.
The only fear that ASUU has now is that governments in Nigeria, whether past or present, have never been loyal to their words. The fact that the President made promises to ASUU did not guarranty that he’ll honour his words just like every Nigerian politicians, the government only want to get them back to work and then drop any agreement they made with them. Had it mean that governments,past or present, had honoured their part of bargain with ASUU the problem we’re facing now would have long been solved.So my advise to Mr President is that sackgng the lecturers is not the solution because if the present crop of lecturers were sacked and the problems remain unsolved then the strike will surely return.