The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its eight-month-old strike with effect from on Friday, 14th October.
The decision was taken at the emergency National Executive Council meeting of the Union which was held until late Thursday in Abuja.
ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke announced the suspension of the protracted strike in a statement issued on Friday, however, lamented that the issues in dispute are yet to be satisfactorily addressed.
The statement partly read, “ The National Executive Council of ASUU held an emergency meeting at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, Abuja, on Thursday, October 13, 2022”.
Recall the Academic union had embarked on a rollover strike from on 14th February 2022 over failure of the Federal Government to meet its demands.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, after what he described as “failed negotiations”, dragged the striking lecturers to the National Industrial Court.
The National Industrial Court had on September 21 ordered ASUU to call off the strike. The court granted the motion on notice filed by the Federal Government directing the lecturers to return to classrooms.
However, ASUU through its lead counsel, Mr Femi Falana appealed the case at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.The court on October 7, ordered the Union to go back to the classroom within seven days.
“The National Industrial Court, in its wisdom, gave an order compelling ASUU to resume work pending the determination of the substantive suit. Given the nature of the order, and in the opinion of our counsel, there was the need to appeal the interlocutory injunction granted against our union at the Court of Appeal.
“The Court of Appeal acknowledged the validity of the grounds of the union’s appeal but still upheld the order of the lower court and ordered our union to comply with the ruling of the lower court as condition precedent for the appeal to be heard.
“NEC noted the series of meetings with the leadership of the House of Representatives led by the Hon. Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as well as intervention efforts of other well-meaning Nigerians both within and outside the government and the progress made so far.”
“However, as a law-abiding union and in deference to appeals by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and in recognition of the efforts of Hon. Gbajabiamila, and other well-meaning Nigerians, ASUU NEC resolved to suspend the strike action embarked upon on February 14, 2022. Consequently, all members of ASUU are hereby directed to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday, October 14, 2022.”
#ASUU
