ASUU Conducts Nationwide Referendum Over Lingering Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Tuesday conducted a nationwide referendum to determine whether to suspend its three-month strike or not.

Naija News learned that ASUU national leaders directed its zonal coordinators on Monday to meet and conduct the referendum.

It was gathered that over 200 members of the University of Ibadan chapter, who attended the Congress allegedly voted for the continuation of the strike while a little above 50 voted for the suspension of the strike.

Deji Omole, the Chairman of the University of Ibadan Chapter, told Punch that the Congress only conducted a referendum on what the Federal Government had offered the union to call off the strike.

The Chairman stressed that the Federal Government promised to include the earned academic allowances in their 2019 salaries.

Omole also said the Federal Government had decided to release N25bn for university revitalisation while the rest will be released after identifying sources to fund it.

The Chairman, who revealed that the Federal Government agreed to release additional N5bn to make the earned academic allowances N25bn out of the N105bn being owed lecturers, added that the union wanted N30bn.

According to Omole, the Federal Government has agreed to renegotiate with the union in the coming days.

Sources at the zonal congress claimed the majority of the members voted for the continuation of the strike because they doubted government’s sincerity in fulfilling its new promises, a report by Punch claimed.