The Academic Staff Union of Universities has told the Federal Government not to force lecturers back to school via court order.
The President of the union, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, said this on Tuesday in Abuja after a meeting.
The meeting was called by the leadership of the House of Representatives, led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Recall that the Federal Government had dragged ASUU to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria over its seven-month-old strike.
Osodeke, after the meeting on Tuesday, said: “We are meeting with the Ministry of Education and the Committee of Pro Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors and others.
“As we are doing this, the same Ministry of Labour ran to court.
“If the courts force the lecturers to go work tomorrow, which type of teaching will they do?
“If the courts force the Nigerian academics to go and teach against their will, just like a court forcing a doctor to treat a patient against his will, how many of us will go to that doctor?
“This is the seventh month this strike is on.
“We have never been called to a formal meeting by the Minister of Education.
“No formal meeting.
“Not one.
“We were only called to a meeting twice by the Minister of Labour: 27the of February and March 1.
“Between then and now, we have not been called to a formal meeting.
“I used the word ‘formal’.
“I challenge the Minister of Education to show that he had called for any formal meeting.
“I can assure you that in the next 10 years, our public universities will be like public primary and secondary schools.”