2019 Elections: ASUU agrees to allow lecturers work as INEC staffs amidst strike

Ahead of the February 2019 polls, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has agreed to collaborate with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the smooth conduct of the election, despite its ongoing strike.

Speaking after a meeting with a delegation of INEC at Gwagwalada, Abuja, ASUU National President, Comrade Biodun Ogunyemi, assured that members of the union can participate as returning and collation officers during the polls.

Ogunyemi said the union assured INEC that it will not stand on the way of its members participating in the election as ad hoc staff.

“The position of our union is that our members are free as citizens to participate in the election as ad hoc staff and we have reinstated this that we are not going to stop any of our members who wishes to serve in that capacity.

“We have also assured them that we will continue to work together to deepen the content and process of elections in Nigeria,” he said.

The ASUU president, who spoke on the long relationship between the two agencies, said the union had a good meeting with the delegation from INEC.

INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmud Yakubu, had told reporters shortly before the meeting that the commission wished that the collaboration with ASUU during the election period would continue, despite the ongoing strike.

Yakubu said within the time available to the general elections, it will be difficult to identify, recruit and train thousands of alternative Collation and Returning Officers needed for the election.

“For this reason, we appeal to ASUU to consider the following steps; one, continue with the existing collaboration with INEC; and two, allow your members to participate as collation and returning officers for the 2019 General Elections as doing so will not derogate from the union’s withdrawal of service in respect of university-based activities such as teaching, supervision and statutory meetings.

“The 2019 General Election is only 42 days away and elections will take place in 1,558 constituencies spread across 119,973 polling units clustered into 8,809 Registration Areas or wards in the 774 Local Government Areas and 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

“Beyond the numbers, the commission is interested in the credibility of all election duty personnel. Since 2010, the commission has been drawing such personnel from the pool of graduates involved in the National Youth Service Corps scheme nationwide as Presiding Officers at polling unit level.

“However, the number is not always enough given the size of the country. Consequently, the commission engages students of federal tertiary institutions as assistant Presiding Officers.

“While we pray that your ongoing industrial action is resolved speedily, the commission would like to appeal ASUU to consider the election as an essential service to the nation and maintain the collaborative relationship that would enable your members to continue to play critical roles in the electoral process,” he said.