Opinion
ASUU, FG: Who Is Fooling Who? (II)
Ikegbu Emmanuel
ASUU had made all efforts to get well meaning citizens to understand their plight. They were present at a Joint National Assembly Committee of Higher Education in 2002 to project their demand for autonomy, which was passed into an Act in June 2003 and was signed by President Obasanjo as the University Miscellaneous Act on July 10, 2003.
But since after then, this law was not implemented. Several other demands have since crept in. As they were not also met, ASUU went on strikes.
For instance, Imo State University Owerri, had only 11 weeks lectures but 12 weeks just within the first semester of 2008/09 session and is yet to conclude exams for some departments. This is outside the July – August ASUU strike.
Smaller countries such as Bostwana, Lesotho, Togo, Ghana, and Gambia, among the lots, whose GNPs are not up to half of Nigeria’s, have better education system. But, Academic unions of Ghana and Benin had to go on long strikes before their education sector got better funding.
Perhaps, the important point is that their governments were people friendly. They took education as a top priority and accorded it 26 per cent – 42 per cent of their annual budgets. University education got a greater share of the education budgets.
The ASUU –FG saga has lingered for long. About three years ago, the Federal Government entered into a fresh agreement with the union. They were never implemented.
President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was ushered into power with ASUU’s six months old strike. Every effort was made to pacify the Union’s National Executive Committee with much lobby, the strike was kept in abeyance.
Soon after then, the demands of ASUU were not met as industrial actions continued. But the Minister of Information, Prof Dora Akunyili, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of July 1, 2009, authoritatively informed newsmen of government’s moves concerning resolving the impasse, stating that “they wanted increased funding, that we have granted; they wanted autonomy, that we have granted; they wanted retirement at 70, that we have also granted; they also want 109 per cent increase in salaries, that we are negotiating. As I speak to you, the Minister of Education, Dr Sam Egwu, is with Mr President discussing this issue. Government is not folding her hands. Government would not fold her arms and watch our university students sit at home,” she assured.
The FG feels that the demands of ASUU are much though they are doing their best, as it believes but the picture from ASUU shows the reverse. They want the government to sign the agreement reached a few years ago.
ASUU is disappointed that months after negotiations, with research based forward looking, condition of service, autonomy of universities, increase funding, and education tax should be harmonised. The union sees the FG’s attitude as “provocative action.”
ASUU argues that an agreement was reached for federal and state governments to devote 26 per cent of its annual budget to education.
The implementation of the constitutional provisions that the government should appropriate funds to assist the states in the area of higher education.
While the tortoise and monkey continues to display their sagacity and dexterity, we must not forget that it is the grass that suffers when two elephants fight. Our students have been suffering the muscle flexing.
Permit me to also ask ASUU, how sincere have our lecturers been? Research grants have been converted to allowances, given some lecturers untamed access to influence. Some earn more than their income. The issue of exploiting innocent students cannot be swept under the carpet.
The rate and manner in which students are exploited by lecturers is pitiable. The former ASUU Boss at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, lamented that some lecturers sentimentally defend their colleagues caught in corrupt acts.
But for the fact that students stay idle at home, the option would have been for the government to squeeze and flush out the rotten eggs in the system. The Judas is denting the image of the eleven.
Nevertheless, the government should be sincere with ASUU even as Nigerians want both parties to always go to the negotiating table. We are privileged that President Yar’Adua, Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, and the Minister of Education, Dr Sam Egwu, who are key players in this matter were all once in the lecture hall. They have worn the shoes. They should know where it pinches.
Let no one fool anyone. Vision 20 – 2020 enshrined in the seven-point agenda awaits us. ASUU, FG, is anyone fooling the other?
Emmanuel is a Student of Imo State University (IMSU) Owerri.
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Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
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