ASUU Has Blackmailed Every Every Government – Buhari’s Aide

An aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie has accused the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of blackmailing governments in Nigeria.

The Special Assistant to the President on Social Media made the accusation in a tweet via her Twitter handle on Tuesday.

Onochie called on the National Assembly to enact laws that would mandate the leadership of the union to pay the salaries of striking members.

The presidential aide said it is unfair for ASUU executives to live off the union’s dues alone and other members suffer the consequence of the strike.

She wrote: “ASUU has blackmailed every government in Nigeria. The National Assembly should enact a law that mandates ASUU to pay the salaries of striking members.

“The current situation where ASUU executives alone, live off union dues leaving members high and dry, is unfair to their members.”

ASUU Speaks On When Strike Will End As Union Meets FG Today

This development comes hours after ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, stated that the union would meet with the Federal Government today.

According to Osodeke, the union and the Federal Government are meeting to address its demands which led to the ongoing strike.

The ASUU President speaking on when the union would end its strike said the decision of the Federal Government would determine the next step.

Osodeke while speaking during an interview on Channels TV  on Monday said ASUU will call off the strike if the Federal Government agreed to its demands at the meeting.

Naija News reports that ASUU has been on strike since February 2022 over the Federal Government’s inability to fulfil its 2009 agreements.

The lingering strike is also a result of the government’s refusal to accept the UTAS software developed by the union for payment of lecturers’ salaries.