The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Owerri Zone, on Monday gave the governors of Anambra and Imo states a 14-day ultimatum to implement the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU Agreement or face an indefinite strike in two state-owned universities.
The union warned that academic activities would be shut down at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, and Imo State University if Governors Chukwuma Soludo and Hope Uzodinma failed to implement the agreement.
Addressing journalists at the ASUU Conference Hall of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, the Owerri Zonal Coordinator, Dennis Aribodor, lamented that more than five months after implementation of the agreement began nationwide, the two state-owned universities had yet to comply.
Aribodor said the union had exhausted all avenues of engagement with the governments of the affected states, adding that both universities submitted the 2025 FG-ASUU Agreement to their administrations in February 2026, in line with a directive of the union’s National Executive Council.
He said the National Universities Commission had also communicated the agreement to the governors, who are Visitors to the universities, as well as their vice-chancellors.
According to him, the agreement addresses issues including salary deficits, infrastructure development and staff welfare.
He said, “More than five months after the commencement of the implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement, ASUU Owerri Zone regrets to alert the general public and critical stakeholders in the university education system that the agreement is yet to be implemented in the state-owned universities in ASUU Owerri zone.
“The Owerri zone comprises Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam in Anambra State, Federal University of Technology, Owerri in Imo State, Michael Okpara University, Umudike, in Abia State and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, in Anambra State.
“The two affected state universities in ASUU Owerri zone are Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, owned by the Anambra State Government, and Imo State University, owned by the Imo State Government.
“Our branches in both COOU and IMSU, in obedience to the directive of the National Executive Council of ASUU, have submitted the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement to their respective University Administrations since February 2026.
“This was done notwithstanding that the National Universities Commission had earlier communicated the Agreement to the visitors of the state universities (the Anambra and Imo State governors) and Vice Chancellors of the two universities for implementation.
“Despite demonstrations of good faith and engagement of university authorities, including the Governing Councils and University Administrations by our Union in COOU and IMSU, the implementation of the Agreement has not commenced in both universities. This is both bad and sad for the University system.
“While implementation has commenced in many state-owned universities, including those owned by Bauchi, Benue, Ekiti, Ogun, Osun and Sokoto states. It is saddening that such has not happened in Anambra and Imo states.
