ASUU president rejects Brekete Family’s N50m intervention fund to end strike

Emmanuel Osodeke, president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has turned down an intervention fund by Brekete Family, a reality television and radio programme focusing on human rights issues, to end the strike.

ASUU had on February 14 declared a one-month warning strike to protest the non-implementation of its demands by the federal government.

But on March 14, the union extended the action by eight weeks, citing the government’s failure to fully address its demands.

The union thereafter extended the strike by another 12 weeks.

Oyeleke said the extension is aimed at giving the government more time to satisfactorily resolve the issues.

There have been concerns over the lingering strike with many prominent figures calling ASUU and the government to address the issue.

Osedeke and his team were invited on Saturday morning to the radio show by its host, Ahmad Isah, popularly known as Ordinary President, to explain to Nigerians why the union is still on strike.

According to Daily Trust, Isah also said he had set up a special intervention bank account domiciled in TAJ Bank to raise funds for the union and also publicly showed N50 million cash donated by Udom Emmanuel, governor of Akwa Ibom state.

Immediately the money was displayed,  the ASUU president reportedly expressed displeasure, rejecting the offer.

Isah was then said to have threatened to discontinue the intervention.

Some Nigerians who phoned in during the programme also reportedly described ASUU as ”insensitive”.