ASUU Suspends Eight-Month-Old Strike Conditionally

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has conditionally terminated its strike that has been going on for the past eight months.

Following a lengthy meeting of the union’s National Executive Committee (NEC) that began on Thursday night and continued into the early hours of Friday morning, the union came to this conclusion. The ASUU National Executive Council is made up of both the chairmen of the various state chapters and members of the ASUU National Executive

While confirming the suspension to journalists, members of the Committee stated that the Committee will determine its next course of action, particularly in light of the verdict handed down by the Court of Appeal the previous week.

The Appellate Court had previously decided that in order for the union to challenge the decision of the National Industrial Court directing it to cease its strike, the union must first call off the strike.

In the later hours of today, it is also anticipated that President Muhammadu Buhari will publish an official circular.

The union has not yet issued a statement that may be considered official.

The meeting followed last week’s intervention by the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, urging the union to end the eight-month strike and, more importantly, the Court of Appeal’s ruling that the union must end the strike.

The Appellate Court ordered the union to end its strike while it continues to negotiate with the Federal Government.

Following the involvement of the Appeal Court, the national executives of the union decided to meet to consider the next course of action.

The suspension of the strike is a result of the state branches’ decision to abide by the court’s verdict and permit continued dialogue with the federal government.

Since February 14, 2018, ASUU has been on strike.