demands on April 29, but said implementation had not followed.

He said the union was concerned that the approval had not translated into action months later.

“We received the governor’s approval on April 29. He approved everything, but from April till now, nothing has been implemented. Something is fishy. Something is wrong somewhere,” he said.

Mba suggested that government officials, including the Head of Service and Accountant-General, could be responsible for the delay in implementing the approval.

He said the union was particularly concerned about Nwaeze’s suspension, which he described as a threat to academic freedom and university autonomy.

More Than 30 Meetings Held

Mba said the union had been engaging the government on the issues since 2023 and had reached several agreements that were allegedly not honoured.

He said ASUU had written to government officials, commissioners, the Chief of Staff and technical committees and had attended more than 30 meetings in Umuahia before deciding to embark on the strike.

“If not for the rigorous process ASUU follows, we would have gone on strike a long time ago. We started this process long before the strike was approved,” he said.

He urged lecturers to remain calm, assuring them that the union leadership understood their challenges and would continue to pursue their demands.

“I want to tell them to remain calm. Their leadership is with them. We understand their pain, and we must get it right this time. We are not going to back out,” Mba said.