ASUU bars officials from endorsing political candidates

 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it will sanction any member who endorses candidates or political parties using the union’s name.

 

Christopher Piwuna, ASUU president, spoke on Thursday at the union’s 2026 heroes’ day celebration in Abuja.

 

He said that while ASUU members are free to exercise their constitutional rights to vote and participate in the electoral process, they must not present their personal political choices as those of the union.

 

“As far as the 2027 elections are concerned, we will not ask our members to abdicate their constitutional right to vote or participate in the process,” he said.

 

 

“However, no member of our union has permission to use the name of ASUU to support any candidate or political party.

 

“We remain apolitical, and we are not supporting any candidate. Any official of our union found hobnobbing with political parties or individuals in a manner that compromises this position will face action because our leaders are supposed to lead by example.”

 

Piwuna said the union will not identify with any individual seeking elective office, irrespective of their political affiliation.

 

 

“ASUU is not supporting any political party. I repeat, ASUU is not supporting any individual standing for election anywhere, today, tomorrow or the day after. We remain apolitical,” he said.

 

In September, over 600 senior academics from public universities across northern Nigeria reportedly endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid.

 

The endorsement followed a meeting convened by Ibrahim Masari, special adviser to the president on political matters, for the academics to deliberate on the political future of Nigeria.

 

The development drew criticism from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to bar the northern lecturers from serving as returning and collation officers in the 2027 elections.