Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have agreed to call off their eight-month strike.
The national executive council (NEC) of ASUU resolved to
suspend the industrial action during its overnight meeting from Thursday to
Friday.
Chris Piwuna, vice-president of the union, confirmed the
suspension to BBC.
A memo formally announcing the decision of the NEC is
expected to be released later on Friday.
ASUU has been on strike since February 14 over issues
revolving around revitalising public universities, and a review of lecturers’
salaries and allowances, among other matters.
After several meetings to resolve the strike ended
inconclusively, the federal government proceeded to the national industrial
court to challenge the action.
The industrial court, in a ruling delivered on September 21,
granted the federal government’s application for an interlocutory injunction to
restrain ASUU from continuing with the strike pending the determination of the
substantive suit.
Not satisfied with the ruling, ASUU approached the court of
appeal seeking leave to challenge the lower court’s decision.
The court of appeal subsequently asked the parties to
explore the option of an out-of-court settlement.
However, both parties agreed to proceed with the hearing
after failing to reach a settlement.
Delivering a ruling at the resumed court session on October
7, the appeal court ordered the union to call off its strike.
The appellate court said ASUU should obey the order of the
industrial court before seeking to appeal the judgment.
The panel led by Hamman Barka said for ASUU to file its
notice of appeal within seven days, it must show evidence that its members have
resumed work immediately.
The panel held that failure to adhere to the order will make
the appeal incompetent before the court of appeal.
Following the Federal Government and ASUU’s inability to
reach a deal, the union kept extending the industrial action before making it
indefinite in August.
In the wake of the tussle, the Federal Government registered
two factional unions – the Congress of
Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical
and Dental Academics (NAMDA).
But ASUU had said it was not bothered about the government’s
move, describing it as “illegal”.