How the ASUU Strike Can End In 48 Hours If Jonathan Is Honest –– Femi Falana

At a meeting of the Bayelsa state caucus of the Peoples Democratic
Party, which held in Yenegoa last Friday, President Goodluck
Jonathan accused the Academic Union of Universities (ASUU) of
subversion. As far as the President is concerned the ongoing
industrial action has nothing to do with trade dispute.
During his last media chat the President had accused the ASUU of
playing politics with the strike. No doubt, the federal Government is
utterly embarrassed that the strike has lasted for about six months.
But instead of accusing ASUU of subversion, the Federal Government
should be blamed for its inexplicable refusal to honour the 2009 FG/
ASUU Agreement.
It is on record that officials of Ministries of Education and Finance
frustrated the resolution of the strike.
It was on account of such frustration that led the President to take
over the negotiations. At the end of the marathon meeting held
between the President and the ASUU leaders substantial progress was
made towards the resolution of the crisis. On its part the ASUU
accepted the offer made by the President with some minor
adjustments.
Regrettably, the President was informed that ASUU had rejected his
offer. In view of such misinformation the Acting Minister of Education,
Mr. Nyeson Wike issued a 7-day ultimatum to sack all striking
university staff with effect from December 4, 2013. He also directed
the vice-chancellors of all public universities to declare the posts of
striking academics vacant with a view to replacing them.
If Mr. Wike had familiarized himself with FG/ASUU face-off in the past
two decades, even under the defunct military junta, he would have
discovered that ASUU members have never been cowed to submission.
In 1992, the Ibrahim Babangida junta fired all lecturers and
threatened to eject them from their official quarters. When the
lecturers defied the junta a decree was promulgated which made strike
by teachers a treasonable felony. ASUU also ignored the obnoxious
decree and called off the bluff of the military dictators.
The then Secretary for Education, Professor Ben Nwabueze SAN
described the 1992 FG/ASUU as "a contract of imperfect obligations".
But at the end of the day it became clear to the regime that
universities could not be run like military barracks. Hence the junta
swallowed its pride, withdrew its empty threats and decided to honour
the Agreement which it had rejected.
As no university in Nigeria has the required number of Professors,
Readers and Senior Lecturers the threat of a mass sack of academics
is a huge joke. However, as the President's former boss, Chief
Diepreye Alamieseigha rightly observed the ultimatum, which has
been planned to coincide with the burial ceremony of Professor Festus
Iyayi, would portray the Federal Government as insensitive. The
observation cannot be faulted since a convoy of Governor Idris Wada
along the Abuja-Lokoja road killed Professor Iyayi while travelling to
Kano to attend a meeting of ASUU leaders scheduled to review the
strike. It is commendable that the President promised to review the
provocative ultimatum.
Since the ASUU has accepted the new offer of the Federal Government
the President should conclude the negotiations with the ASUU leaders
forthwith. Instead of allowing Mr. Wike to expose the Federal
Government to further ridicule a new Agreement should be properly
drawn up and signed by the ASUU and top officials of the Federal
Agreement. With the commitment of President Jonathan the industrial
action can be called off within 48 hours.

By Femi Falana (SAN).