By Chukwudi Obasi
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the Federal Government of resorting to intimidation and blackmail in its dealings with the union.
The union warned that such tactics would only deepen the crisis in the country’s tertiary education system.
In a statement on Monday by its National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, ASUU described recent government actions, including threats, misinformation, and alleged attempts to divide the union, as “a deliberate provocation” aimed at silencing legitimate agitation for better funding and respect for agreements.
“We wish to remind the government that ASUU is not an appendage of any political structure. The union will never succumb to coercion, no matter the source,” the statement read.
The union criticised what it called “a coordinated campaign of vilification” through government-aligned media and officials who, it claimed, have continued to portray ASUU as obstructionist.
Osodeke insisted that ASUU’s struggle is rooted in defending public education and ensuring the proper welfare of lecturers, not politics.
“The attempt to criminalise collective bargaining and paint ASUU as anti-development is not only mischievous but a calculated effort to divert public attention from the government’s failures,” he added.
The statement accused the Federal Government of failing to implement key aspects of previous agreements, including university revitalisation funds, earned academic allowances, and payment platform reforms.
It also faulted the continued use of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), which ASUU says undermines university autonomy and delays salaries.
“Rather than fix structural inefficiencies, the government is fixated on silencing dissent. Universities are collapsing while lecturers are impoverished,” the union lamented.
Insiders within the union hinted that ASUU may convene an emergency meeting to decide its next line of action if the federal authorities continue what it described as “a path of confrontation.”
The union reiterated that it remains open to dialogue but would not trade its principles for political expediency.
“ASUU cannot be intimidated. The government must return to the path of reason and honour the agreements it willingly signed,” the statement concluded.
