The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that any member or official who uses the union’s name or platform to endorse political parties or candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections will face disciplinary consequences.
Speaking during the union’s 2026 Heroes’ Day celebration in Abuja on Thursday, November 12, ASUU National President Professor Christopher Piwuna reaffirmed the body’s strictly apolitical stance.
While clarifying that ASUU members remain free to exercise their constitutional rights to vote and participate in the electoral process, Piwuna stressed that no individual has the authority to project their personal political preferences as the official position 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.”
According to Piwuna, the union will not back any political candidate, irrespective of their party affiliation.
Backstory…
In September, more than 600 senior professors and academics from public universities across northern Nigeria reportedly endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid.
That endorsement followed a closed-door gathering of academics in Kaduna convened by Ibrahim Masari, the president’s senior political adviser, to discuss Nigeria’s political direction.
In reaction to the development, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to bar the participating northern lecturers from serving as returning and collation officers during the 2027 general elections.
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