The newly elected President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Chris Piwuna, has issued a strong and uncompromising message to the Federal Government, state governors, and the political class, declaring that ASUU “will no longer stand by and watch the public university system collapse under the weight of government neglect and broken promises.”
In his maiden press conference held at the University of Abuja, Prof. Piwuna condemned the systemic underfunding of public universities, non-payment of salaries, political interference in university governance, and the deliberate sidelining of ASUU members nationwide.
“Our members are fed up. Nigeria’s public universities are being destroyed by political interference, withheld salaries, and unfulfilled promises. We will not remain docile while the rot continues,” he declared.
FG’s Broken Promises: ‘We Are Still Waiting’
Prof. Piwuna expressed dismay that despite the Federal Government’s agreement in April 2025 to release ₦150 billion for university revitalization and ₦29 billion for Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), not a single naira has been released. He said ASUU members are still waiting for the long-overdue conclusion of the renegotiated 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement submitted to the government in December 2024.
“Five months after submitting our final recommendations, we are still waiting for the government to sign. What exactly is the delay about?” he questioned.
IPPIS, Victimization, and Withheld Salaries
Piwuna described the government’s Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) as a “discredited system” that has resulted in the withholding of three-and-a-half months’ salaries and the exclusion of sabbatical and part-time lecturers from payment. He further called for an immediate end to what he described as the “unconscionable persecution” of ASUU members in institutions like Kogi State University and Lagos State University.
University Autonomy Under Siege
He also sounded the alarm on what he called an orchestrated effort by politicians and civil service bureaucrats to destroy university autonomy. He cited controversial appointments of vice-chancellors and principal officers in several federal universities.
“We will not fold our arms and watch the continued derailment of our universities,” Piwuna warned.
Nigeria at a Crossroads — Education Is the Key
The ASUU President said Nigeria is trapped in a vicious cycle of underdevelopment, brain drain, and youth despair, all rooted in the government’s refusal to invest in quality education.
“Without education, there can be no innovation. Without innovation, there can be no development. A country that neglects its universities is preparing for failure,” he said.
He called for a national education summit to chart a new future for Nigeria’s learning institutions and recommended urgent reforms to reconnect government policy with the realities of the common Nigerian.
TETFund Diversion to NELFund
Prof. Piwuna also condemned the diversion of funds meant for public universities through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) into the new NELFund, a government-backed student loan scheme, describing it as misguided and exploitative.
“The TETFund is under threat. These funds were meant for revitalization and research, not for loan experiments that shift the burden to students,” he said.
Conclusion: ASUU Ready for Engagement Or Confrontation
Prof. Piwuna concluded his address with a warning:
“The Union would not continue to look helpless while the rights of its members are being trampled upon and washed away with reckless abandon.”
With that, the ASUU President set the tone for a more assertive leadership that is ready to confront government inaction and revive Nigeria’s education system from the grassroots up.
“The struggle continues,” he ended defiantly.
READ THE 👉 FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE BY PRESIDENT PIWUNA
