ASUU President, Professor Osodeke and Speaker Gbajabiamila

Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Monday, the strike by university teachers which is now eight months old will soon end.

While Gbajabiamila told journalists that most of the issues that caused the protracted crisis between ASUU and the Federal Government had been resolved and that the strike would end “in a matter of days,” President of ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, said for the first time since the lecturers started the strike, “we have seen light at the end of the tunnel.”

Although the matter is in court, the two sides, according to ASUU’s lawyer, Femi Falana, have opted for an out-of-court settlement and most of the issues have been resolved. “We are working towards an out-of-court settlement. Most of the issues have been touched and the ones remaining will be resolved in a few days so the strike will be called off soon.”

After the meeting between the two parties, the Speaker said, “We are happy to report that as a result of the consultation and intervention of the House, very significant progress has been made. We are just dotting some ‘i’s and crossing some ‘t’s.”

Gbajabiamila said the contentious issue of ‘no work no pay’ had been resolved and that the President will speak on it.
“I believe we have covered most of the thorny issues. What we have agreed with ASUU is basically to put everything on paper and sign off, and I believe if we had met yesterday and the papers had been drawn up, ASUU, I am sure, would have called off the strike today. But we only just met behind closed doors now, and so we have to draw up the agreement as I have stated to you.

“Hopefully, in the next couple of days. Of course, ASUU has to get back to its bases as well. Once that is agreed, I am very hopeful and very excited about the possibility or probability the strike would be called off in a matter of days,” he added.

Osodeke also said, “We have met briefly in the Speaker’s office and looked at all the issues. He has briefed us. We have taken note of what they have covered. As you know, in my union, we operate bottom-up; we don’t take decisions on their behalf without taking their consent.

“We have agreed that between now and tomorrow, we are going to get some documentation – signed— that we can take to our members. We will do that as quickly as possible in the interest of all of us, Nigerians and the students so that this thing can be resolved as quickly as possible.

“From what we have seen today, for the first time since our action started, we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel because this is the first time we are having a such thing as an attempt by anybody or group to create something that will also make us not to run into anything again. We do hope that this will be the final in the interest of our children.