ASUU accuses Gombe and Plateau of ignoring 2025 agreement, warns of industrial action
By Pet Nathan, Gombe
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bauchi Zone, has accused the Gombe and Plateau State Governments of failing to honour the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU agreement, warning that the stalemate could spark industrial unrest at the affected universities.
The union said that despite the agreement reached between the Federal Government, state governments and ASUU on 23rd December, 2025, neither Gombe State University nor Plateau State University had complied with its terms.
Speaking at a press conference held at Gombe State University, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Comrade Timothy-Aku Namo, said the two state governments’ refusal to implement the deal had worsened academics’ living conditions and fuelled growing frustration among lecturers.
“You will recall that the Federal Government of Nigeria signed an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities on 23 December 2025, following protracted negotiations involving the Federal Government, state governments that own public universities, and our union,” he said.
Namo noted that although the Federal Government had since released funds for the salary component of the agreement and set up an Implementation Monitoring Committee, many state governments had yet to meet their obligations.
“Many state governments are yet to begin implementing the agreement. Some even claim that it was signed only between the Federal Government and ASUU,” he said.
The ASUU leader revealed that a forensic audit carried out by the union’s National Executive Council on thr 21st of June, 2026, discovered that, among the state-owned universities reviewed, only Sa’adu Zungur University in Bauchi State and Ekiti State University had implemented the agreement.
“Following a forensic audit of implementation across the branches, the union concluded that, apart from Sa’adu Zungur University in Bauchi State and Ekiti State University, other state governments were unwilling to implement the agreement,” he stated.
Namo decried what he termed the deteriorating welfare of academics, saying the Gombe State University and the Plateau State University had become flashpoints in the implementation crisis.
“The union lamented the worsening living conditions of Nigerian academics and directed further engagement with the press to alert the public to the looming crisis in the state universities, including Gombe State University and Plateau State University, which have refused to implement the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement,” he said.
According to Namo, the agreement’s implementation is not the only outstanding issue; but that both universities are also grappling with other unresolved matters affecting staff welfare and industrial peace.
He appealed to the Visitors of the two universities to intervene before the situation escalated into another round of industrial action.
“We call on the Visitors to Gombe State University and Plateau State University to direct the immediate implementation of the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement, and to address all other lingering issues, or risk industrial disharmony,” he warned.
Namo also urged parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, the media and other stakeholders to press the two state governments to act swiftly.
“We call on all well-meaning Nigerians, especially parents, traditional rulers, the clergy, the Press and other stakeholders, to appeal to the Gombe and Plateau State governments to make hay while the sun shines,” he added.
