While millions of Nigerian students, parents, and education stakeholders await the outcome of a meeting between members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, a Twitter account known as ‘ASUU chairman’ has proclaimed an indefinite strike.
Using the Twitter handle as a source, many news outlets and blogs stated that ASUU had declared an “indefinite strike.”
However, Prime 9ja Online has discovered that this is untrue.
One of the handle’s deceptive tweets read, “#ASUU Finally the meeting has ended. Expect an official report. This is against our wish but we have to put the needs of our union first, I announce to you with a heavy heart the commencement of a nationwide strike starting from February 14 till our needs are met.”
ASUU executives, including National President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, told Prime 9ja Online that the union does not have a Twitter account.
The image that circulates is likewise a hoax!
Aside from the phoney Twitter account, a photograph is circulating online.
Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, the former ASUU chairman, is included in the image, which has been widely circulated on WhatsApp.
Professor Emmanuel Osodeke is the current ASUU chairman.
“ASUU update 2022: All universities are suspended from having lectures from14th February”. However, ASUU leaders affirmed their meeting decision would be released on Monday.
ASUU still needed to end its general meeting comprising branches and national executives, notwithstanding the time depicted in the image -14:27.
VERDICT: AS OF 09.40PM ON SUNDAY, ASUU HAS NOT DECLARED A STRIKE
ASUU REQUESTS
The union had previously expressed concern with the federal government’s failure to follow through on some of its pledges, dating back to 2009. ASUU issued a three-week ultimatum to the federal government on November 15, 2021, for failing to meet the requests.
The lecturers vowed to strike again after the alleged “government’s unfaithfulness” in fulfilling the Memorandum of Action it negotiated with the union, which resulted in suspending the 2020 strike action.
Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, ASUU President, lamented that despite meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, on October 14, 2021, on issues such as funding for the revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution, promotion arrears, renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, and the inability to meet with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, on
Following the threat, Emeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State for Education, assured the union would be compensated.
ASUU called off the scheduled protest a few weeks after federal university professors were given N22.1 billion in earned allowances.
Following the union’s renewed agitations, the co-chairmen of the National Inter-religious Council, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr Samson Ayokunle, paid a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) last month to express their disappointment with the government’s failure to implement the Memorandum of Understanding signed with ASUU in 2009 and other issues.