The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) has rejected claims that it was created by the Federal Government to weaken the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), describing the allegation as false and misleading.
CONUA was reacting to comments attributed to a former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Hassan Sunmonu, who reportedly described the union as a government-backed creation aimed at undermining ASUU.
The remarks were said to have been made during the globally streamed Toyin Falola Interviews, where issues relating to trade unions, labour, and African politics were discussed.
In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Mr. Henri Oripeloye, and made available to journalists on Wednesday, CONUA said the claim was “totally incorrect, flawed in logic, and inconsistent with established Nigerian and international labour law principles.”
Oripeloye said the union was compelled to respond in order to set the record straight and prevent Nigerians from being misled about CONUA’s origins and objectives.
He stated that CONUA did not emerge from any government initiative, but from reformist convictions within the university system. According to him, the union was formally registered in 2023 after meeting all legal requirements.
He added that efforts by ASUU to stop CONUA’s registration, including a suit filed at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), failed. He noted that the NICN dismissed ASUU’s case in July 2023, relying on Section 27 of the Trade Union Act, which allows more than one union in a workplace, and Article 2 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 87, which guarantees workers the right to form and join trade unions of their choice.
He also cited Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which guarantees freedom of association.
“These provisions confirm beyond doubt that CONUA is a legitimate, constitutionally protected trade union,” Oripeloye said, adding that portraying the union as unlawful was contrary to the law.
He further stated that CONUA was formed in 2018, long before the current administration, and not at the instigation of any government. According to him, the union emerged from unresolved internal crises within ASUU at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), including the annulment of branch elections in 2013 and disputes over the vice-chancellor selection process in 2016.
Oripeloye recalled that a fact-finding committee led by Sunmonu at the time acknowledged that the annulment of the elections was unjustifiable and that internal processes were mishandled.
He said allegations of ethical breaches, misrepresentation of congress resolutions, and financial irregularities were reported to ASUU’s National Executive Council and investigated, but the intervention failed to resolve the crisis.
According to him, the eventual expulsion of some academics led them to voluntarily come together to form CONUA.
“The claim that CONUA is a government creation ignores these established facts and misrepresents the authentic, reform-driven journey of our union,” Oripeloye said.
On the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, he said CONUA was engaging with the Yayale Ahmed-led committee and that discussions were producing positive results.
He urged stakeholders in the education sector to respect union pluralism as recognised by Nigerian labour law, adding that attempts to delegitimise CONUA because of its preference for dialogue over strikes were counterproductive.
