On Tuesday, the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, or ASUU, took steps to register alternative unions within the academic community, raising hopes for a speedy resolution of their labour dispute.
How the government’s move might result in the reopening of the public universities is unclear, though.
The action, which is perceived as an attempt to split up ASUU, came after the organisation had already been forced to return to work by the National Industrial Court, a decision that ASUU has appealed.
Vice Chancellors were instructed to reopen the universities via a circular issued by the FG last week. However, it was understood that the decision was revoked as a result of interventions by stakeholders, including the House of Representatives leadership.
With the registration of the two new bodies, the problem seems to have come to a head at this point.
The two unions are the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA).
The two unions will work alongside ASUU, according to Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Productivity.
Ngige and the ASUU had previously had a falling out because they both believed he was not dedicated to finding a solution to the ongoing strike.
Observers believe that Ngige is using the most recent development as a means of getting his own back.
His action occurred on the same day that President Muhammadu Buhari met at the Presidential Villa in Abuja with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and other leaders of the House to discuss the eight-month strike.
Following his attempt to arbitrate between the FG and the ASUU, Gbajabiamila met with the union and other pertinent government organisations to solicit their assistance.
However, there are indications that the achievements made during the meeting between the ASUU and the Reps leadership may possibly be lost in light of the Labour Ministry’s intervention.
The new bodies have already been disregarded by ASUU, who claims they do not constitute a danger to its continued existence.
When responding to the news, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, National President of ASUU, remarked, “That in no way affects us. We are a disciplined, goal-oriented union that is aware of what it is doing and what it is pursuing. Let them set up however many unions they want. Birds can fly because of the size of the sky.
He added that ASUU members are aware of the organization’s vision and mission and further proclaimed that none of them are saboteurs or bootlickers.
An anonymous senior lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, also commented on the situation and claimed that the Federal Government was wasting its time.
He noted that “if the Federal Government could not succeed in breaking the ranks of the Nigeria Labour Congress, how on earth does it think it will succeed this time?
“We heard the so-called new union has a factional presence in 12 universities; assuming without conceding that such is true, how would you compare that with the ASUU structure?
“What is clear is that the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige is deceiving President Muhammadu Buhari. He has not been sincere ever since the strike commenced and his action today (yesterday) has clearly shown that.
“We welcome his group, it is not enough to issue them with a license, let them go and lecture the students.”
He urged the Federal Government to lower its Olympian stature and embrace a collaborative discussion with university professors.
Meanwhile, a complete academic session is already being affected by the strike, and students all around the nation are becoming increasingly irate.
While many of them have passed away while performing one mundane task or another, some of them are still confused.
