The Nigerian polytechnic lecturers under the auspices of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) have declared a two-week warning of industrial action with effect from Monday, May 16, 2022.

This decision was contained in a press release signed by the Union’s President, Anderson Ezeibe, and dated May 11, 2022.

The statement disclosed that the resolution was reached at the Union’s 102nd emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday, 11th May, 2022.

The union said the decision became imperative following the failure of the government to implement the Memorandum of Action (MOA) signed in June, 2021, which informed the suspension of its two-month strike at the time.

ASUP said it also gave one-month ultimatum in April, 2022 to address its needs but regretted the government ignored its threat, and went on with political activities as if everything was normal.

It’s noteworthy that this latest development came barely less than 72 hours after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) announced the extension of its ongoing strike by another three months.

Other labour unions in the various public universities across Nigeria – such as the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), are also currently on strike.

The ASUP, in its statement, which was titled; “Status Update of the ASUP/Federal Government of Nigeria Engagement and Resolutions of the Emergency National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting of ASUP held on the 11th of May, 2022,” listed nine issues at the centre of its disagreement with the government.

The ASUP further disclosed that these issues included the alleged failure to release the approved revitalisation fund of N15 billion for the sector, 11 months after it was approved by President Muhammadu Buahri and the failure to release arrears of its members’ new National Minimum Wage.

Furthermore, the union said the unpaid arrears already accumulated to 10 months, and that the approximately N19 billion “composite amount” reportedly sits with the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) with an “Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE)” not issued, among seven other issues.

The items in dispute, as at the time of issuing the strike notice, were captured in the press release as follow:

1. Non release of the approved revitalization fund for the sector: Approved N15bn yet to be released 11 months after approval by the President.
2. Non release of arrears of the new minimum wage: The owed 10 months arrears for the Polytechnics is yet to be released. The composite amount covering all Federal Tertiary Institutions to the approximate figure of N19Bn currently exists as an AIE in the Accountant General’s Office.
3. Non release of the reviewed normative instruments for institution/management and programs accreditation: The document is currently awaiting approval of the Management of NBTE. This document is expected to provide a framework to address non payment of salaries in state owned institutions, non compliance with approved retirement age, non deployment of approved salary structures, poor governance structure as well as other issues affecting standards particularly in state owned Polytechnics. As a consequence, our members in Abia, Ogun, Edo, Benue, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Plateau and Osun states are owed salaries while they also continue to suffer from different levels of deprivation including non release of promotions and non deployment of appropriate retirement age. Such deprivations are also evident in Adamawa, Niger, Sokoto and Delta States where the government has resolved to disrupt the hitherto timely payment of salaries with a subvention styled funding regime.
4. Sustained infractions in implementation of the provisions of the Federal Polytechnics Act as amended in 2019: This issue is currently typified by the arbitrary removal of deputy rectors in Auchi Polytechnic, and existence of multiple templates for appointment of principal officers with provisions at variance with the provisions of the Act.
5. Delay in the appointment of rectors: The appointment process in Kaduna Polytechnic, Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Federal Polytechnic Offa, and Federal Polytechnic Ekowe continues to linger.
6. Non Release of Arrears of CONTISS 15 Migration for the Lower Cadre: This issue remains at the committee level and even in chapters like NILEST, Zaria implementation is yet to commence.
7. Non release of the scheme of service for Polytechnics: Since 2017, the sector has been struggling with a review process for the scheme of service and conditions of service in use in the sector.
8. Continued Victimization of Union Officers: Our officials in IMT Enugu and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo still remain out of job.
9. Continued Arm twisting of Members in Colleges of Agriculture By the ARCN: This has continued as our members in these institutions continue to experience intimidation.

The ASUP equally used the medium to appeal to members of the public to prevail on the government to do the needful within the 2-week period so as to avoid an indefinite shutdown of the sector.

It’s really baffling that all facets of the country’s education sector, in its entirety, have been displeased with the government, yet the members of the ruling class are busy politicking ahead of the impending 2023 general elections.

What impression are these politicos exactly trying to portray to the general public, or the electorate? You have been part and parcel of Nigeria’s leadership, and the education industry remains in disarray, yet you possess the impetus to inform the electorate that you are desirous to emerge as the president of the country come 2023.

The worst is that all these political campaigns are taking place amidst strikes of the ASUU and NAAT, and their counterparts. Our politicians ought to desist from playing politics with our children’s future.

Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), ahead of its primaries, has decided to throw open its 2023 presidential ticket to all zones of the country. This was contrary to its earlier contemplation of zoning the ticket to the Southern part of the country.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba disclosed this at the end of the PDP’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Wednesday, 11th May 2022.

The decision to throw the ticket open, he stated, was in line with the recommendation made by the party’s zoning committee.

He said, “After a very extensive deliberation, NEC aligned with the recommendation of the PDP National Zoning Committee that the Presidential Election should now be left open. The party should also work towards consensus candidate where possible.

“NEC noted the recommendation of the Zoning Committee that in the interest of justice and fair play, the Party should take decision on Zoning timeously so as to prevent complications to the process.”

Mr Ologunagba further disclosed the PDP would conduct the Presidential Primary, Special National Convention, to elect the party’s presidential candidate on Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29, 2022 in Abuja.

According to the spokesperson, the National Convention Organizing Committee would be headed by former Senate President, David Mark, with the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as Deputy Chairman and erstwhile Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema as Secretary.

It’s noteworthy that the announcement came weeks after the zoning committee submitted its recommendations to the PDP NEC.

The 37-member committee, headed by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, was set up by the party in March, 2022 and asked to make recommendations on a zoning formula for the various electoral offices ahead of next year’s polls.

Though some members of the panel had earlier hinted that it asked the party to throw the presidential ticket open owing to exigency of time, Mr Ortom, however, dismissed the report.

The party’s decision on zoning comes amid calls and expectations that it would zone the presidential ticket to the South, ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The party’s presidential screening committee headed by Mr Mark has already screened 17 presidential aspirants who had purchased and returned the nomination and expression of interest forms.

The discord in the party, in the past few weeks, over zoning has been between two groups: the pro-zoning group mostly made up of Southern leaders who believe it’s time for the South to produce the next president having had a Northern president ruled the country for the past eight years as well as the late Musa Yar’Adua as the party’s last candidate, who equally hailed from the North.

Also, the anti-zoning group, mostly comprised northern leaders, who want the ticket thrown open because they believe they stand a chance of winning the primaries and eventually the main election, and because in the last 16 year-rule of the PDP in the country, two Southern presidents – Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, ruled for the most part of it.

Some members of the panel who support an open ticket have, however, argued that aspirants ought to be allowed to either test their strength and popularity at the party’s primary or adopt a consensus candidate.

The eventual throwing of the PDP’s presidential ticket open to all zones across Nigeria is arguably a big challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who has equally been perturbed over the calls for the party to zone its apex ticket to the South, particularly the South-East.

At this juncture, the APC would apparently be left with no choice than to also throw the party’s ticket open to every zone, because doing otherwise might give the PDP an advantage towards victory at the main polls.

This perhaps might be the reason behind the APC’s U-turn over zoning of the party’s ticket, having earlier decided to zone the ticket to the South. It could be it was waiting to observe the decision that would be made by the main opposition party, the PDP.