The President of the National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, Comrade Usman Barambu, has accused the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, of hiding something from the students following the union’s refusal to allow them to observe proceedings of its negotiation with the federal government.
Speaking with DAILY POST, the NANS President argued that the union should call-off the strike and continue negotiation afterward.
According to him, it’s unfair that after the court ruling asking ASUU to return to class, the union remains adamant.
Recall that a recent judgment has ruled in favour of the government where ASUU was ordered to return to class while negotiation continues.
ASUU has since appealed the judgment and has remained unmoved by the court’s judgment.
But the NANS President said: “They have to call-off. They didn’t say they are not calling off. They said they have to appeal, hence nothing stops them from going back to class when the appeal process is on.
“If they appeal and the Appeal Court upholds the industrial court order, they will go back to class. If the court grants the appeal, the federal government has the opportunity of appealing the case. “
Accusing ASUU of a hidden agenda, the students union president said he had proposed to both ASUU and the federal government to be part of their negotiation and that while the government agreed, ASUU declined, fueling suspicion that they are hiding something.
He said, “But the problem is the ASUU. Why have they refused to call-off? I think they are hiding something. Why did they refuse that I should be part of the observers in their negotiation so we can clearly understand the stage they are right now?”
“The federal government under the ministry of labour approved that we are part of the negotiation, at least to observe, but ASUU declined, saying they can’t sit with their children and that it’s not in their tradition. Obviously, there is something they are hiding. As a leader of the Nigerian students, I said I want to observe, but the ASUU president declined. We will hold a press conference on this,” he told DAILY POST.
Recall that ASUU has been on strike for the past 7 months and all efforts to end the strike have failed. The union is requesting the implementation of all its agreements with the federal government.
