The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has raised fresh concerns over the Federal Government’s alleged neglect of its demands, warning that lecturers may be forced into another nationwide strike if urgent action is not taken.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Akure Zone, Professor Adeola Egbedokun, accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of failing to address the union’s grievances two years into its tenure.

Egbedokun listed ASUU’s outstanding demands to include the implementation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, sustainable funding and revitalisation of public universities, payment of outstanding 25–35 per cent salary arrears, stagnated promotions, unremitted third-party deductions, and an end to the alleged victimisation of members in some institutions.

“Our patience has been stretched to its breaking point. Trust has been shattered, and only decisive government action can mend it,” Egbedokun said. “We will fight back, and the consequences would be damning unless government takes urgent steps to attend to our requests.”

He condemned what he described as government’s “reckless indifference” to the report of the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed-led renegotiation committee, which was submitted in February 2025, calling it a betrayal of trust and an insult to the principle of collective bargaining.

The ASUU leader also rejected the Federal Government’s new loan policy, describing it as a “sinister snare” designed to plunge lecturers into perpetual financial bondage, undermine cooperative societies, and worsen their living conditions.

Egbedokun revealed that members of the union across campuses in the zone staged peaceful rallies on Monday as a “test-run” of their next move should government remain unresponsive.

He appealed to the National Assembly, religious leaders, traditional rulers, the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to prevail on the government to avert a looming confrontation.

ASUU’s National Executive Committee, according to him, has resolved to keep “all options on the table” ahead of a scheduled meeting with government officials on August 28, 2025.