The new President of the National Association of Nigerian Students , Sunday Asefon , has vowed to shut down all private universities in the country should the nine – month strike embarked on by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities continue.

The NANS president said this while speaking on a PUNCH Online interview programme , The Roundtable .

He lamented that the ongoing strike is the longest industrial action embarked on by the university lecturers .

According to him , NANS would engage the Federal Government representatives and ASUU leaders to find a lasting solution to resolve the stalemate in negotiations between the two arms .

The NANS president said after consultation with the two parties and should the strike not be called off as soon as possible , NANS would move in and shut down all tertiary institutions in the country.

Asefon said , “ In the history of ASUU strike , this is the longest ASUU strike so far , going to nine months now . My administration frowns at it. We will be meeting with the representatives of the Federal Government and that of ASUU to see how the two can shift grounds so that our students can go back to the classroom . It is just a story of where two elephants fight , the grass that suffers .

“ There must be a lasting solution , ASUU must stop this strike and Federal Government must listen to ASUU . The two should synergise , they should pity the common students who have been at home .

“ If you are talking about money, the Federal Government will still release the money at the end of the day . The strike has not stopped the salaries of ASUU ( members) . But it is the students that are at the receiving end of this long ASUU strike .

Continuing , he said , “ Before we mobilise our students to the streets to engage in a confrontation with the government , we believe ASUU and FG should sit and resolve the whole issue. That is our interest. We are tired of being at home . We want to go back to school . ”

“ We have three Cs , we have embarked on the first C which is ‘ Consultation ’ and we are going to ‘ Consolidate ’ on our ‘ Consultation ’ . We will get to a stage before the end of this year when we will get the two of them seated on a roundtable . We will force the two parties to make a decision because they are toying with the lives of Nigerian students .

“ If they fail to resolve the issue, we are going to embark on the third C which is ‘ Confrontation ’ . We are going to shut down all private universities in this country. And after that , we are going to engage in mass action . Because the majority of the children of ASUU (members ) and the rich are in private schools and they are not affected. That is why they are toying with the lives of the common Nigerian students , ” NANS president stated .

The Attorney- General of the Federation , Abubakar Malami ( SAN ) , says the National Assembly lacks the power to invite the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , to speak on security matters.

Malami, who is also the Minister of Justice, said this in a statement titled, ‘ Buhari ’ s Summon: NASS Operates Outside Constitutional Bounds ’.

The AGF said security matters remained the exclusive preserve of the executive arm of government and the National Assembly must not forget this .

He said , “ The management and control of the security sector is exclusively vested in the President by Section 218 ( 1 ) of the Constitution as the Commander – in – Chief of the Armed Forces including the power to determine the operational use of the Armed Forces. An invitation that seeks to put the operational use of the Armed Forces to a public interrogation is indeed taking the constitutional rights of law – making beyond bounds.

“ As the Commander – in – Chief, the President has exclusivity on security and has confidentiality over security . These powers and rights he does not share . So , by summoning the President on national security operational matters, the House of Representative operated outside constitutional bounds. President ’ s exclusivity of constitutional confidentiality investiture within the context of the constitution remains sacrosanct . ”

Malami said the President could freely address the National Assembly when he wants but could not be summoned to do so .

He said , “ Mr . President has enjoyed Constitutional privileges attached to the Office of the President including exclusivity and confidentiality investiture in security operational matters, which remains sacrosanct . ”

The AGF added that the National Assembly has no “constitutional power to envisage or contemplate a situation where the President would be summoned by the National Assembly on operational use of the Armed Forces.

“ The right of the President to engage the National Assembly and appear before it is inherently discretionary in the President and not at the behest of the National Assembly. ”

Punch

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , has expressed displeasure over the ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities .

He described as “amazing ” the failure of the lecturers to suspend their eight -month strike.

The president was quoted as saying this in a statement by his media aide , Garba Shehu , after a meeting with 36 state governors on insecurity .

The statement was titled, President Buhari charges governors to work with traditional rulers for local intelligence’ .

On the eight – month – long strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities , the President was quoted as saying “ lecturers had not taken into consideration the larger challenges facing the country” .

“ Government conceded something . The problem is that they refused to look at the problem of the whole country.

“ The Minister of Labour is working hard at it. It is amazing how ASUU will stay out of classrooms for so long . There ’ s a need for our elites to understand the challenges facing the country, ” the president added .

The Federal Government has faulted claims by the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities , Prof Biodun Ogunyemi , that it has failed to deliver on the timelines on offers made to the union .

It insisted that the timelines had been complied with and “ faithfully implemented ”.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen . Chris Ngige , revealed that ASUU agreed at their last meeting with the government team on November 27 to call off their nine – month – old strike before December 9 .

“ The truth of the matter is that a ‘ gentleman agreement ’ was reached at the last meeting in which ASUU agreed to call off the strike before December 9 , 2020 , and the Minister , in turn , agreed that once the strike is called off , he would get a presidential waiver for ASUU to be paid the remainder of their salaries on or before December 9 , ” Ngige stated .

This was contained in a statement from Ngige media office titled, ‘ We have kept our promises to ASUU – FG’ .

The statement also cited part of the agreement reached at the meeting with ASUU in which the labour minister said he had consulted with the Minister of Education on getting a waiver on the issue of ‘ No Work , No Pay ’ under section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act .

Ogunyemi had blamed the FG for union ’ s failure to call off the strike , noting that the lecturers would not return to classes until their salary arrears were paid.

The minister stated , “ For instance , the Federal Government promised to constitute a Negotiation Committee for the 2009 Agreement and has fulfilled it with the last week’ s inauguration of the committee that has Prof Muzali as chairman .

“ The N40 b Earned Academic Allowances have also been processed just as the N30 b revitalization Fund , bringing it to N70 billion . Likewise , the Visitation Panels for the Universities have been approved by the President but the panel cannot perform its responsibilities until the shut universities are re – opened .

“ The gazzeting is also being rounded off at the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation while the Ministry of Education is ready to inaugurate the various visitation panels . ”

He disclosed that “ they were paid for February and March after which it was extended to April, May and June , months they were on strike on compassionate ground , bringing it to five months. ”

Punch

The Federal Government has announced a reduction in the pump price of premium motor spirit , otherwise known as petrol , from N168 to N 162 . 44 per litre with effect from December 14 .

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige , disclosed this at the end of a meeting with labour leaders .

The minister said a technical committee has been set up to ensure price stability in the industry .

Ngige stated that the committee , which will report back to the larger house on January 25 , will appraise the market forces and other things that would ensure stability in the industry .

He said , “ Our discussion was fruitful and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation which is the major importer and marketers of petroleum products and customers have agreed that there will be a slide down of the pump price of PMS and that the price cut will get us about N5 per litre and that the price cut will take effect from next Monday , a week today . ”

Punch

The President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , will on Thursday address a joint session of the National Assembly on efforts being made by his regime to address the security challenges being witnessed across the country.

The President ’ s Personal Assistant on Social Media , Lauretta Onochie , disclosed this in a message she posted on her Twitter handle , @ Laurestar .

The message read , “ President @ MBuhari will address a joint session of the National Assembly (@nassnigeria ) on Thursday , December 10 , 2020 . ”

Punch

In what appears to be an attempt to forestall another round of # EndSARS protests, armed policemen and soldiers have been deployed in the Lekki toll plaza, Lagos .

Several motorists informed newsmen that the security operatives were deployed around midnight .

The Police Public Relations Officer , Muyiwa Adejobi , did not respond to calls .

However , both the military and the police authorities had warned several times last week that they would not allow another round of protests to take place.

Meanwhile, some youths under the aegis of Face of # EndSARS Movement , held a protest in Osogbo , Osun State capital .

They marched through the streets of Osogbo to the Osun State House of Assembly , demanding an audience with the leadership of the Assembly .

The protesters led by Emmanuel Adebisi demanded good governance among other things .

Punch

Police are set for a showdown with youths over the second phase of the #EndSARS protests.
The protests are billed to begin on Monday in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other cities.

There was anxiety as various police commands yesterday warned against such gatherings.

The organisers, who raised awareness on the social media, said the second phase was to demand the release of all protesters detained following the first phase.

They also want restrictions on all accounts of #EndSARS leaders at the instance of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lifted.

Destroyed, vandalised or looted were 269 private and companies’ assets during the #EndSARS protests.

No less than 243 government facilities were burnt or vandalised and 81 warehouses looted.

In Edo, Lagos, Abia, Delta, Ondo and Ebonyi states, 1,957 inmates were set free from eight Medium Security Custodial Centres and 31 employees of the Prisons Service injured.
There were about 196 injured policemen, 164 destroyed police vehicles and 134 burnt police stations.

Supporters of the planned protests, which have remained a trending topic across social media platforms since last week, said they were undeterred by the threats by security operatives.

Some asked the police and government to go after those who wreaked havoc, during the first phase of the #EndSARS protests and bring them to justice.

They said labelling #ENDSARS protesters as criminals will not demoralise them.

Bisi Oluwagbemileke wrote: “#EndSARS, where are we meeting tomorrow (today)? I just want us to keep applying pressure and retweeting aggressively. I am ready with my joggers and canvas. Let’s hit the road.”

Ayobami Olunloyo said: “To label #EndSARS as simply being about police reform, is a grave error. It (was) is about societal reform. Police brutality was merely a trigger and the final straw for too many citizens who do not deserve to be brutalised randomly or to live in fear and terror.”

Wondering why the police banned protests, Abayomi Agbomire asked why the service was not going after its operatives that protested in Katsina over alleged unpaid salaries.

“When will @PoliceNG understand that #EndSARS is a positive thing for them as well?” he queried.

TheNation

Police are set for a showdown with youths over the second phase of the #EndSARS protests.
The protests are billed to begin on Monday in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other cities.

There was anxiety as various police commands yesterday warned against such gatherings.

The organisers, who raised awareness on the social media, said the second phase was to demand the release of all protesters detained following the first phase.

They also want restrictions on all accounts of #EndSARS leaders at the instance of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lifted.

Destroyed, vandalised or looted were 269 private and companies’ assets during the #EndSARS protests.

No less than 243 government facilities were burnt or vandalised and 81 warehouses looted.

In Edo, Lagos, Abia, Delta, Ondo and Ebonyi states, 1,957 inmates were set free from eight Medium Security Custodial Centres and 31 employees of the Prisons Service injured.
There were about 196 injured policemen, 164 destroyed police vehicles and 134 burnt police stations.

Supporters of the planned protests, which have remained a trending topic across social media platforms since last week, said they were undeterred by the threats by security operatives.

Some asked the police and government to go after those who wreaked havoc, during the first phase of the #EndSARS protests and bring them to justice.

They said labelling #ENDSARS protesters as criminals will not demoralise them.

Bisi Oluwagbemileke wrote: “#EndSARS, where are we meeting tomorrow (today)? I just want us to keep applying pressure and retweeting aggressively. I am ready with my joggers and canvas. Let’s hit the road.”

Ayobami Olunloyo said: “To label #EndSARS as simply being about police reform, is a grave error. It (was) is about societal reform. Police brutality was merely a trigger and the final straw for too many citizens who do not deserve to be brutalised randomly or to live in fear and terror.”

Wondering why the police banned protests, Abayomi Agbomire asked why the service was not going after its operatives that protested in Katsina over alleged unpaid salaries.

“When will @PoliceNG understand that #EndSARS is a positive thing for them as well?” he queried.

TheNation

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said it would not end the strike it embarked on until government paid all the salaries of its members it withheld .

The President of ASUU , Prof . Biodun Ogunyemi , in a telephone interview with news correspondent in Lagos , said government should not expect the lecturers to resume without paying the withheld salaries .

Recall that there were reports on November 27 that the union had agreed to end its strike following the Federal Government’ s promise to release N70 bn to ASUU as earned allowance .

But Ogunyemi explained that the members were still consulting and at the same time waiting for the government to fulfil its promise of releasing members’ withheld salaries .

“ We are still consulting ; we have not finished consultation, by the end of this week we shall make our report public . There are promises government made with dates. Government promised to release salaries of our members . The withheld salaries have not been paid and we need to have information on that . Government should not expect us to resume without releasing our salaries . ”

He emphasised that once the timeline expired this week without the salaries being paid, the union would take a final decision .

Ogunyemi also said that he could not determine when ASUU would suspend the strike .

“ I can ’ t vouch for anything about resumption, but my members will determine that . The only thing I know is that payment of withheld salaries can smoothen the process and that is what we have told the government . It will aid the final decision .

“ The government gave a timeline and we are monitoring , once the timeline expires this week, our members will take a final decision. If they pay the withheld salaries , it will make the process easier to handle . ”

Punch