Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, has withdrawn his claim that the government has no binding deal with ASUU. He admitted that the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement remains the only legally enforceable pact.
His clarification came just 24 hours after he dismissed ASUU’s stance as based on a draft. The union had criticized his earlier statement.
Alausa explained that when he said no agreement existed, he referred to the 2021 Nimi Briggs draft. He stressed that the draft was never formally executed.
The Ministry of Education confirmed that the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement is still valid, while the Nimi Briggs document only guides current talks.
The government added that the renegotiation process started in 2017 under former Education Minister Mallam Adamu Adamu. It emphasized that despite reports, no new agreement was finalized in 2021.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the long standoff with ASUU through lawful and sustainable measures. It also assured that keeping universities open for teaching and research remains a top priority.
