Dr John Ogi, a senior lecturer at Moses Adasu University in Makurdi, Benue State, has strongly criticised the Federal Government over its warning to withhold salaries of striking university lecturers, calling the move “unreasonable” and “insensitive.”
This follows the Federal Government’s declaration on Sunday that the two-week warning strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which began today, would activate the enforcement of the no-work-no-pay policy.
In an exclusive chat with New Daily Prime, Dr Ogi expressed deep concern over the government’s approach to resolving long-standing labour issues in the university system, warning that such policies only worsen the crisis in the education sector.
“The threat by the Federal Government is not just unreasonable but also insensitive,” Ogi stated. “Policies that humiliate intellectuals and reduce professionals to a state of dependence akin to Almajiri reflect a profound misunderstanding of governance and labour relations.”
He further criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for, in his view, relying on poor advice in handling the ASUU dispute.
“President Tinubu may have the vision and capacity to lead Nigeria forward, but his success depends heavily on the quality of advice and decisions made by those around him,” Ogi remarked.
“This approach does not foster progress; it deepens distrust and widens the gap between leadership and the workforce. Justice, not coercion, should define the government’s response.”
Dr Ogi urged the government to stop treating university lecturers as expendable and to begin addressing their demands with the seriousness they deserve. He warned that the use of outdated and punitive labour tactics, such as the no-work-no-pay policy, had previously failed and would only further harden ASUU’s position.
“The government will be showing her irresponsibility with any of such local approaches to resolving labour issues. ASUU is stronger and more focused,” he said.
ASUU declares total, comprehensive strike
The ASUU warning strike, declared on Sunday and effective from Monday, 13 October 2025, has resulted in the shutdown of academic activities across all federal and state universities.
The union said the decision followed the Federal Government’s repeated failure to meet its demands, despite earlier warnings and protests.
ASUU’s demands include:
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Finalisation of the renegotiated 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement
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Release of withheld three and a half months’ salaries
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Sustainable funding and revitalisation of public universities
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An end to the victimisation of lecturers in LASU, Prince Abubakar Audu University, and FUTO
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Payment of outstanding salary arrears of 25–35%
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Settlement of over four years’ promotion arrears
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Release of withheld third-party deductions such as cooperative dues and union check-off contributions
On 26 August 2025, ASUU members had staged coordinated protests nationwide to draw attention to these unresolved issues. However, the union claims that the Federal Government ignored the warning signs.
Failed talks with FG
In a last-ditch effort to prevent the strike, the Federal Government invited ASUU to a meeting on 10 October. During the engagement, a fresh proposal was tabled, but it was swiftly rejected by ASUU leadership, who described it as insufficient and detached from the core demands.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, had earlier claimed that negotiations with ASUU were in their final stages and highlighted the government’s financial commitments, including ₦50 billion for Earned Academic Allowances and ₦150 billion allocated in the 2025 budget for university revitalisation.
However, ASUU maintains that the proposal presented was a far cry from the comprehensive agreement expected, and it has criticised the government for lacking the political will to honour past commitments.
ASUU holds its ground
Despite threats of the no-work-no-pay policy, ASUU has remained defiant, asserting that it will not be intimidated into abandoning its strike or its demands.
The union believes that the issues at stake go beyond salaries and touch on the survival of Nigeria’s public university system, which has been plagued by underfunding, poor infrastructure, and declining staff morale.
Observers note that unless genuine dialogue resumes and concrete action is taken, the standoff could escalate into a prolonged strike, further disrupting the academic calendar and jeopardising the future of millions of students.
