The Presidency has dismissed as false media reports quoting President Muhammadu Buhari as giving two-week ultimatum to Minister of Education to resolve the dispute between Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s media aide, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, appealed to the media not try to spread misinformation over the ongoing strike by members of ASUU.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that many media organisations on Wednesday published a syndicated story allegedly quoting Buhari as directing the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, to resolve within two weeks all industrial disputes in the nation’s tertiary institutions.
The presidential aide, however, said: “It is a pity that almost all media houses allowed themselves to be deceived by interested sources that are not the authorised spokesmen of government.’’
He said the outcome of the meeting held by the president on Tuesday with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to end the agitations by university unions ought to be beyond spin-doctoring and conjectures.
“Neither during nor after the meeting was any ultimatum given to the Minister of Education.
“During the meeting, the Minister of Education requested that the Minister of Labour hands off the negotiation to allow him lead and conclude what he had earlier on started with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“And he promised that he could get an agreement within the shortest possible time, possibly two to three weeks.
“In carrying out this assignment, the Minister will carry along all relevant ministries and agencies with statutory functions and duties relating to the issues involved,’’ he said.
According to Shehu, the Presidency is optimistic that agreements can be reached in an even shorter period if all parties/stakeholders are not unrealistically obstinate.
He, therefore, appealed to the affected parties to work together to end the strikes.
“On the part of the administration, all doors remain open for dialogue and the resolution of the issues.
“We appeal to the media not try to spread misinformation. The orchestrated media narratives seeking to present an entirely different picture, attributed to sources, in the last 24 hours are not helpful at all,’’ he advised.