In recent years, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) have consistently claimed that the federal government has not fulfilled their demands. In an interview with our correspondent, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, the national president of ASUU, expressed that the only way to prevent strike actions during Tinubu's administration would be for him to impartially address the Nigerian education system as a whole. He remarked, "The negotiation process initiated by the Buhari-led government in 2017 remained unresolved until 2023, which is unacceptable. This was the root cause of our conflict with the previous regime. We hope that individuals like Chris Ngige, the Minister of Employment and Labour, will not hold any positions of governance in this country again."

Tinubu ought to prioritize the establishment of educational facilities in Nigeria that are on par with those in countries attracting a large number of students. It is crucial to allocate funds, equivalent to the budgetary provisions for successful education systems in other countries, in order to enhance the functionality of our own system. A dedicated meeting between Tinubu, ASUU, and negotiations is imperative to address these issues comprehensively. This approach will enable universities to operate in accordance with their respective regulations.

Additionally, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, the national president of SSANU, emphasized that the key to winning the support of university workers lies in Tinubu's commitment to releasing the unlawfully withheld salaries from the previous administration under President Muhammadu Buhari.

He emphasized the need for a departure from past practices, stating that immediate action and proactive measures are expected in the coming days to fulfill promises and honor agreements made with the government. In order to gain the support and trust of all university staff members in Nigeria, the first step Tinubu should take is to release the withheld salaries of both teaching and non-teaching staff, which have been unlawfully held back by the government due to our legal strike. The strike was a result of failed negotiations with the government, and we followed all necessary procedures in this regard.

We expect to witness tangible progress in funding education as it has been inadequately supported in Nigeria. The current funding falls significantly short of the UNESCO standard of 26 percent, and it is imperative that urgent steps are taken in the next budget to meet this standard.

Likewise, Mr. Anderson Ezeibe, representing ASUP, expressed the desire for the new government to prioritize and successfully conclude the ongoing renegotiation process between the Federal Government and ASUP. This would pave the way for improved remuneration for staff members in the education sector.