.By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University chapter, has rejected the directive by Agbu Kefas to call off its ongoing indefinite strike action.
Dr. Joshua Garba Mbave, the ASUU chairman, told PERISCOPE NIGERIA in Jalingo that the union, during its emergency meeting on Thursday, rejected the governor’s directive.
According to Dr. Mbave, members unanimously resolved that all demands presented to the government must be met to the union’s satisfaction before such a directive would be considered.
“Yes, ASUU TSU has rejected the directive by Governor Agbu Kefas to call off the ongoing strike.
“We had a meeting with the governor yesterday, February 25, 2026, but unfortunately, he did not offer any concrete commitment regarding our demands. He only directed that the ongoing strike action be called off.
“As tradition demands, we returned and convened an emergency meeting to relay the government’s position. At today’s meeting, members unanimously said ‘No.’
“Members insisted that unless the union’s demands are met to their satisfaction, such a directive will not be considered,” the ASUU chairman disclosed.
Dr. Mbave also stated that union members expressed dismay over what they described as “lies and neglect” by the state Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr. Mike Dio Jen.
“The union has expressed its displeasure with the conduct of Dr. Mike Dio Jen, the State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, over alleged misrepresentations against ASUU before the governor yesterday. Members also condemned his attitude towards the national officials of ASUU during their last visit to Jalingo.
“We wrote to the commissioner a week earlier, informing him of the visit of our national officials to Taraba State. We requested that he meet with them to discuss the state government’s efforts toward averting the current strike, but he ignored our request.
“The commissioner did not grant them an audience after they waited for two days. To our surprise, he instead alleged that ASUU was unnecessarily embarking on strike without availing itself for negotiation.
“Members have resolved that there is no going back until all the demands are fully met,” the ASUU chairman stated.
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