ASUU Elects New President Amid Sharing Formula of FG's Academic Allowances, Burning Existential Crisis

By: Israel Adeleke 

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that amid widespread speculations of industrial action following issues surrounding the sharing formula of the earned Academic Allowances recently released by the Federal Government of Nigeria, brain drain, among others, the Nigeria’s Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has elected a consultant psychiatrist at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital, Prof. Chris Piwuna, as its new president.

OTN News further reports that the election which took place at the 23rd National Delegates Congress of the Union, in Benin, was in the favour of Piwuna, who defeated Prof. Adamu Babayo from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, to emerge as the president of the union.

OTN News observes that, Piwuna, who doubles as the Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Jos, takes over from Victor Osodeke, a professor of soil science from the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.

OTN News, however, observes that his emergence comes amid widespread speculations of possible industrial action following issues surrounding the sharing formula of the earned Academic Allowances recently released by the Federal Government of Nigeria, brain drain, among others.

rcallsNe also recalls that on April 23, 2025, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved N50 billion to clear unpaid allowances of the varsity workers.