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The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has barred its officials from using the union’s name or platforms to endorse political parties or candidates ahead of the 2027 general election.
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ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, warns that officials who violate the directive by associating the union with partisan political activities will face disciplinary action.
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Piwuna says members remain free to exercise their constitutional rights to vote and participate in elections but cannot present personal political preferences as the union’s position.
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The declaration comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 polls, including the reported endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid by more than 600 senior academics from northern universities.
November 15, (THEWILL) – The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has banned its officials from endorsing political parties or candidates in the name of the union ahead of the 2027 general election, warning that those who violate the directive will face disciplinary action.
The union said it would maintain a politically neutral position throughout the electoral process, stressing that no member or official had the authority to use its name, platform or institutional influence to promote any political party or individual seeking elective office.
ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, announced the position during the union’s 2026 Heroes’ Day celebration in Abuja, where he reaffirmed the organisation’s apolitical stance ahead of the forthcoming elections.
Piwuna said the directive was not intended to restrict members from exercising their constitutional rights but to prevent individuals from using the union’s identity to advance personal political interests.
He maintained that members remained free to vote and participate in the electoral process but must not portray their individual political preferences as the position of ASUU.
“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. 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”, he said.
The ASUU president further stressed that the union would not associate itself with any individual seeking elective office, irrespective of the person’s political affiliation or the level of government involved.
“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”, Piwuna added.
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His declaration comes amid increasing political activities and mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general election, with the involvement of professional and academic groups in partisan political campaigns attracting public attention.
In September, more than 600 senior academics from public universities across northern Nigeria endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid.
The endorsement followed a meeting convened by the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ibrahim Masari, where the academics reportedly deliberated on the political future of Nigeria.
The development attracted 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 during the 2027 general election.
ASUU’s latest declaration, however, draws a distinction between the political rights of individual academics and the institutional position of the union, insisting that members can exercise their franchise but cannot use the organisation’s identity to endorse candidates or political parties.
Also speaking at the Heroes’ Day celebration, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, commended ASUU for its contributions to the development of Nigeria’s university system.
Ahmad acknowledged the union’s advocacy for improved funding, better working conditions for lecturers and quality higher education in the country.
She said the renegotiated agreement between ASUU and the Federal Government demonstrated the government’s commitment to addressing the concerns of university workers, promoting industrial harmony and improving teaching, learning and research in tertiary institutions.
The minister said sustained engagement between the government and the union remained important to strengthening the university system and creating an enabling environment for academic activities.
ASUU has over the years engaged successive federal administrations over university funding, lecturers’ welfare, infrastructure, research development and the implementation of agreements reached with the union.
The union’s position on the 2027 elections comes as political activities intensify, with Piwuna insisting that ASUU will neither endorse candidates nor allow its officials to use its platform for partisan political mobilisation.
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