The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has sharply rebuked the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, over his recent assertion that the Federal Government has never entered into any formal agreement with the union.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Dr. Tunji Alausa maintained that the documents ASUU often cites as agreements were simply draft proposals discussed during negotiations and not legally binding. He stressed that past negotiations lacked proper legal finalization, stating, “the 2021 agreement was not executed by the government.”

“There was no signed agreement with government,” Alausa said. “But ASUU, they’re good people, We now have a responsive government being led by President Tinubu. This president fulfills every single promise, and we have been mandated to do the same.”
The minister said the Tinubu administration is committed to a sustainable, constitutionally backed agreement with ASUU, and has set up a high-level team of officials from key ministries and agencies to draft a “clean document” for fresh negotiations.
ASUU quickly dismissed the minister’s claims, with its president, Prof. Chris Piwuna, telling The PUNCH that the statement reflects the government’s poor record-keeping.
“The government is very poor at keeping records. Sometimes, you wonder if there is a proper handover from one officer to another,” Piwuna stated.
ASUU insists that multiple agreements were reached with the government, notably the 2021 draft renegotiated deal, which came after years of discussions with federal officials. The union continues to push for firm commitments on better pay, greater university autonomy, increased funding, and reforms of the NUC and JAMB.
Earlier this year, the Tinubu administration released N50 billion to settle earned academic allowances, a gesture viewed as a step toward resolving lingering issues. However, ASUU maintains that financial interventions alone are not enough without concrete policy reforms.
As fresh negotiations approach, university communities and stakeholders nationwide look on, seeking clarity on the future of higher education governance and labour relations.
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