Lecturers return to work across Nigeria today as Asuu formally calls off its eight month strike

NIGERIA'S Academic Staff Union of Universities (Asuu) has finally called off its eight-month-old strike saying it will order its members back to work despite the fact that the issues in its dispute with the federal government have yet to be addressed.

Since February, most tertiary institutions across Nigeria have been closed as a result of a strike by lecturer's union Asuu. Due to an inability of the government and the union to reach an agreement on pay and conditions of academics, tertiary institutions have remained shut but on September 21, the federal government secured a National Industrial Court ruling which ordered the lecturers back to work.

Following the ruling, Asuu appealed the judgement and on Friday October 7, the Federal Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the National Industrial Court judgement. Ordering the lecturers back to work after dismissing the union’s application for a stay of execution, the appellate court asked the union to call off the industrial action.

Asuu president Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, said: "The National Executive Council (Nec) of Asuu held an emergency meeting at the Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, on Thursday, October 13, 2022. The National Industrial Court, in its wisdom, gave an order compelling Asuu to resume work pending the determination of the substantive suit.

"Given the nature of the order and in the opinion of our counsel, there was the need to appeal the interlocutory injunction granted against our union at the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal acknowledged the validity of the grounds of the union’s appeal but still upheld the order of the lower court and ordered our union to comply with the ruling of the lower court as condition precedent for the appeal to be heard.

“Our Nec noted the series of meetings with the leadership of the House of Representatives led by the speaker Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, as well as intervention efforts of other well-meaning Nigerians both within and outside the government and the progress made so far. While appreciating the commendable efforts of the leadership of the House of Representatives and other patriotic Nigerians who waded into the matter, the Nec noted with regrets that the issues in dispute were yet to be satisfactorily addressed.

“However, as a law-abiding union and in deference to appeals by President Muhammadu Buhari and in recognition of the efforts of Hon Gbajabiamila and other well-meaning Nigerians, Asuu's Nec resolved to suspend the strike action embarked upon on February 14, 2022. Consequently, all members of Asuu are hereby directed to resume all services hitherto withdrawn with effect from 12:01 on Friday, October 14, 2022.”