The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Bauchi Zone, on Thursday accused the Gombe and Plateau State governments of failing to implement the 2025 Federal Government/ASUU agreement, warning that the development could trigger industrial unrest in the affected universities.
The union said despite the agreement reached between the Federal Government, state governments and ASUU on December 23, 2025, both Gombe State University and Plateau State University had yet to comply with its provisions.
Speaking at a press conference held at Gombe State University, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Comrade Timothy-Aku Namo, said the refusal of the two state governments to implement the agreement had worsened the living conditions of academics and heightened frustration among lecturers.
“You may recall that the Federal Government of Nigeria signed an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities on December 23, 2025, after a protracted negotiation involving the Federal Government, state governments that own public universities and our union,” he said.
Namo noted that although the Federal Government later released funds for the salary component of the agreement and constituted an Implementation Monitoring Committee, many state governments had yet to honour their commitments.
“Many state governments are yet to commence the implementation of the agreement. Some even claim that the agreement was signed between the Federal Government and ASUU alone,” he said.
The ASUU leader disclosed that following a forensic audit conducted by the union’s National Executive Council on June 21, 2026, only Sa’adu Zungur University in Bauchi State and Ekiti State University were found to have implemented the agreement among state-owned universities reviewed.
“After a forensic audit of the implementation of the agreement across the branches, the union concluded that apart from Sa’adu Zungur University in Bauchi State and Ekiti State University, other state governments were not willing to implement the agreement,” he stated.
He lamented what he described as the worsening welfare of academics, saying Gombe State University and Plateau State University had become flashpoints of the implementation crisis.
“The union lamented the worsening living conditions of Nigerian academics and directed further engagement with the press to draw the attention of the general public to the looming crisis in the state universities, including Gombe State University and Plateau State University, that have refused to implement the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement,” he said.
According to him, the implementation of the agreement is not the only outstanding issue, as both universities are also grappling with other unresolved matters affecting staff welfare and industrial harmony.
Namo appealed to the Visitors to the two universities to intervene before the situation degenerates into another round of industrial action.
“We call on the Visitors to Gombe State University and Plateau State University to direct the immediate implementation of the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement, and to address all other lingering issues or risk industrial disharmony,” he warned.
He also urged parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, the media and other stakeholders to prevail on the two state governments to act swiftly.
“We call all well-meaning Nigerians, especially parents, traditional rulers, the clergy, the Press and other stakeholders to appeal to the Gombe and Plateau State governments to make hay while the sun shines,” he added.