Nigeria’s university lecturers under the umbrella of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may have decided to suspend their eight-month-long strike and will ratify the decision tomorrow, Monday, 23 November 2020, an inside source disclosed on Saturday.
“Strike has been suspended. We are only waiting for ratification on Monday,” the source said.
Another source told News Express: “I know they will address the press and call off the strike tomorrow or Monday.”
News Express had on Saturday evening reported the suspension of the strike, quoting a tweet by Official__ASUU @ASUUNGR, which claims to be the official Twitter Account of ASUU.
A tweet at the handle had said:
“BREAKING NEWS –
“ASUU STRIKE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED!
“The Union apologize for all inconvenience caused to students and parents.”
The apparently fake tweet came less than 24 hours after the Federal Government caved in and offered a cumulative sum of N65 billion to ASUU to address earned academic allowances and revitalisation of universities.
However, reacting to the story, president of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, told The PUNCH that the strike is still on.
He also announced that the organisation does not operate a Twitter account.
“ASUU does not have a Twitter account. Many people have been bombarding me with telephone calls and I can’t answer again. If we want to call off our strike, we will address a press conference and that is how we operate,” Prof. Ogunyemi said. (News Express)
