The presidency has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari did not authorise a two-week ultimatum to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to end the impasse with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, on Wednesday, stated that the meetings to end the ongoing strike by university unions ought to be beyond spin-doctoring and suppositions.
Reports had emerged earlier in the week of the government directing the Minister of Education to meet ASUU’s demands in 14 days to end its lingering strike.
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However, Shehu insisted that media houses were being misled by news that are not from reliable sources.
He further stated that the president believes that an agreement can be reached in a shorter person if all parties involved stop being obstinate.
He said:
“It is a pity that almost all media houses allowed themselves to be deceived by interested sources that are not the authorized spokesmen of government.
“Neither during nor after the meeting was any ultimatum given to the Minister of Education. During the meeting, the Minister of Education requested that the Minister of Labour hands off the negotiation to allow him lead and conclude what he had earlier on started with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). And he promised that he could get an agreement within the shortest possible time, possibly two to three weeks.
“In carrying out this assignment, the Minister will carry along all relevant ministries and agencies with statutory functions and duties relating to the issues involved.
“The Presidency is optimistic that agreements can be reached in an even shorter period if all parties/stakeholders are not unrealistically obstinate. We appeal to the parties to work together to end the strikes.
“On the part of the administration, all doors remain open for dialogue and the resolution of the issues.
“We appeal to the media not try to spread misinformation. The orchestrated media narratives seeking to present an entirely different picture, attributed to sources, in the last 24 hours are not helpful at all.”
