By: Abdulrahman Adebayo

Tension has continued to mount among students across various Nigerian Universities as they await the outcome of the ongoing meeting of the National Executive Council of the Academic Staff Union of Universities. ASUU had commenced a two-meeting on Saturday, 12th February 2022, to decide on the next line of action in its agitation to force home its demands to the Federal Government.

However, as at the time of writing this report on Monday morning, the outcome of the meeting, which was extended into the early hours of today, has not been made public. The meeting is a follow-up to earlier public engagement and sensitisation congress meetings of the various branches which necessitated declaration of lecture-free periods across the various campuses.

Indy Press recalls that the last strike by the union lasted for 10 months between March and December 2020. The strike action came to an end after both sides reached certain agreements contained in a Memorandum of Action. However, a year after signing the MoA, the union claims that the government has failed to fulfil its side of the bargain. To prevent another strike, the government quickly moved to pay N55bn as part-payment for the Earned Academic Allowance and Revitalisation Fund.

However, despite this, it took the intervention of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council among other dignitaries before the Union decided to give the government more time.