The Academic Staff Union of Universities has suspended its ongoing two-week warning strike following a resolution reached during an overnight meeting of its National Executive Council in Abuja, which ended around 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
Announcing the development at a press briefing in Abuja, ASUU’s National President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, said the union decided to suspend the strike after reviewing the progress made in its engagements with the Federal Government.
“We’ve had useful engagements with representatives of the government regarding the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement,” Piwuna stated.
“While we are not yet where we want to be, the union recognises that there has been some movement compared to when the strike began.”
The ASUU president noted that the decision to call off the strike was influenced by appeals from students, parents, and key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Labour Congress.
“After considering the efforts of our students, parents, and the NLC, the NEC resolved to suspend the warning strike to reciprocate the goodwill of well-meaning Nigerians,” he added.
ASUU had declared the warning strike on Monday, October 13, to protest the government’s failure to meet several long-standing demands.
The lecturers’ union is calling for the conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 agreement, payment of withheld three and a half months’ salaries, revitalisation of public universities, sustainable funding, and the end of alleged victimisation of its members at Lagos State University, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
Other demands include the payment of outstanding 25–35% salary arrears, settlement of promotion arrears spanning over four years, and the release of withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative and union dues.
Prof. Piwuna stressed that while the strike had achieved partial progress, the union would continue to monitor the government’s commitment to addressing its demands.
He concluded, “The suspension of the warning strike does not mark the end of our struggle; it is only a step back to give dialogue another chance.”
