ASUU LATEST: How Members Are Mobilised Against Resuming Lectures

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the weekend embarked on mass mobilisation of members not to comply with the ultimatum by the Federal Government to resume lectures by December 4, 2013. The members of the union were also directed not to sign any register that may be opened by their Vice Chancellors.

ASUU leaders directed all branches chairmen to find means of mobilising their members not to fall for the threats of the Federal Government, describing the threat as “empty”, pending the next National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Union, which will be held in Minna.

The Chairmen were also advised not to hold public congresses in order to avoid any face off with police and security forces the government deployed to all institutions for the implementation of the December 4 deadline of re-opening.

ASUU have started using the short message service (SMS) and other social media platforms to reach out and to mobilise members not to succumb to the Federal Government’s threat.

The Nation published some of these SMS:

“Dear members, FG decision to threaten us with sack confirms our suspicion that FG may not be honest and can not be trusted. Don’t sucumb (sic) to this empty threat. The strike continues. We shall triumph again. Please, DO NOT SIGN ANY REGISTER. ALUTA CONTINUA- CHAIRPERSON”.

“Dear Congress member, I’m appealing we should stay calm and remain resolute. There is nothing wrong in asking govt to do what it says it will do immediately. ASUU is not making any new demands as the Minister is propagating Govt is only repeating a ‘one act play’ scripted by the IBB dictatorship in early 90s. It didn’t work then, and, it won’t work now ALL BRANCHES are intact. We cannot be intimidated!!! UNITED WE BARGAIN DIVIDED WE BEG!!! ALUTA CONTINUA”.

A professor at the Federal University of Technology Minna, who spoke with the newsmen on conditions of anonymity, expressed shock over the ultimatum:

“One is shocked by the deadline. If they sack all of us, government will go to Kasua Gwari to pack lecturers or pick Professors on the streets. It is a pity, our leaders are reckless.
“We are not moved by the ultimatum. We are waiting to see how they (govt) intend to wriggle itself out of the self inflicted problem. Do they know how the system runs? The era of intimidation is gone,” the university don stated.

At the same time, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and Enugu State University of Science and Technology are set for reopening.