The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that it will sanction any member who uses the union’s name to endorse political candidates or parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Christopher Piwuna, ASUU president, issued the warning on Thursday during the union’s 2026 Heroes’ Day celebration in Abuja.
He said members were free to exercise their constitutional rights to vote and participate in the electoral process but must not present their personal political preferences as the 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,” Piwuna 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 stressed that the union would not associate itself with any individual seeking elective office, regardless 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 added.
The warning comes amid reports of political endorsements by some academics ahead of the 2027 elections.
In September, more than 600 senior academics from public universities across northern Nigeria reportedly endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term.
The endorsement followed a meeting convened by Ibrahim Masari, special adviser to the president on political matters, where the academics reportedly discussed Nigeria’s political future.
The development attracted criticism from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prevent the academics from serving as returning and collation officers during the 2027 elections.
ASUU’s latest position reinforces its insistence that the union will remain politically neutral, while allowing individual members to participate in elections in their personal capacities.
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