The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has dismissed the Federal Government’s directive enforcing a “No Work, No Pay” policy, urging the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, to focus on resolving the union’s ongoing dispute instead of issuing threats.
The reaction comes less than 24 hours after university lecturers embarked on a two-week warning strike to press home their long-standing demands.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, ASUU President, Chris Piwuna, said the union would not be intimidated by government threats, insisting that its members remained united and determined.
“We don’t respond to threats, and nobody can threaten us,” Piwuna stated. “He is threatening us, writing to NAMDA and CONUA, telling them they can get their salaries. He wants to divide us, but we are united in this matter.”
According to him, all academic bodies — including the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA), the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) — are in solidarity with ASUU on the current industrial action.
“CONUA is with us, NAMDA is with us, SSANU is with us, NASU is with us. The polytechnics and colleges of education are also with us,” he said.
Piwuna, however, noted that ASUU remains open to dialogue, revealing that the union had received overtures from the Federal Ministry of Labour to intervene in the crisis.
“He had better sit down and solve this problem or he will fail in trying to divide us,” Piwuna warned. “Today, I received a call from the Minister of State for Labour. She said she has been directed to intervene and get this matter resolved. ASUU is willing. We are ready and available to discuss this matter once and for all.”
The ASUU president maintained that the union’s stance is not about confrontation but about ensuring that the government fulfills its commitments to Nigeria’s education sector.