Jonathan’s Meeting With ASUU Ends, Union To Take President’s Message To Members

A crucial meeting between the leadership of the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and President Goodluck Jonathan which dragged into the early hours of Tuesday ended with no truce reached. The meeting aimed at ending the four months old industrial action in the universities began at 2.240pm and ended some minutes past 3 am Tuesday. Addressing reporters at the end of the meeting, President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Nasir Fagge said President Goodluck Jonathan has passed a message and that his union will take the message to the members. ASUU simply told journalists at the end of the meeting that the union got a message from the President and would take it to the members, but did not say what transpired at the meeting. The Presidency, on September 19th, took over negotiations with the striking lecturers with the Vice-President Namadi Sambo spearheading the Federal Government side. President Jonathan decided to meet with the Union members after the intervention of the Vice-President failed to get the lecturers back to classes. The meeting is the first between the striking lecturers and Mr. Jonathan since the nationwide strike started on July 1. On the Federal Government team included Vice President Namadi Sambo; Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu; Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim; Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof Julius Okogie; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Also with the Federal Government team are the Chief of Staff, Chief Mike Oghiadhome, and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Mac John Nwaobiala. Members of ASUU team at the meeting include its Vice President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, three past presidents of ASUU, Profs. Festus Iyayi, Dipo Fashina and Abdullahi Sule-Kano. Other members of ASUU delegation included Prof. Suleiman Abdul; Dr. Victor Igbum; Prof. Victor Osodeke. The ASUU negotiating team also have the NLC President, Comrade Abdulwahab Omah; the Trade Union President, Bobboi Kaigama in attendance.