The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may today suspend the three month old strike action pressing for increased autonomy and funding for the universities as well as higher wages. ASUU President Comrade Ukachukwu Awuzie told Daily Trust on phone yesterday that he would address a press conference in Owerri, Imo State, though he declined to comment on what the briefing would specifically capture.

"I am addressing a press briefing tomorrow at Owerri by 3pm and I have nothing more to tell you at the moment because I am still gathering data as directed by NEC and my branches", he said. A source told Daily Trust that ASUU would call off the strike today following an overwhelming desire by majority of its branches nationwide for a two week suspension of the strike as negotiations continue with the Federal Government. This follows a series of interventions by prominent Nigerians including the Speaker of the House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole, first class traditional rulers, religious leaders and former NLC president Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.

ASUU had following a deal reached with Governor Oshiomhole and after an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja Monday night agreed to present government's proposal before its various branches for voting.

Feelers from around the local branches of ASUU in some of the nation's universities yesterday indicated that many lecturers are favourably disposed to suspending the strike for two weeks to allow negotiations.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Benue State University (BSU), Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Federal University of Technology,a Minna, University of Port Harcourt and Bayero University Kano (BUK) chapters agreed to suspend the strike to allow negotiations.

Yesterday, the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi chapter of ASUU agreed to suspend the strike for two weeks after which they would resume if government does not meet their demands. The chairman of the university chapter of the Union , Dr. Ibrahim Garba, did not disclose the decision taken by its congress yesterday because of an instruction from the national body but a competent source in the chapter told our correspondent that the congress agreed to suspend the strike for two weeks.

The University of Jos chapter decided to support the suspension of the of three month old strike by the union for two weeks to pave way for the conclusion of negotiations between the union and the Federal Government.

The decision was taken at a special congress meeting yesterday summoned in line with the decision of the National Executive Committee of the union to allow congresses of the various chapters to make inputs into the tentative deal offered by the federal government. Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, chairman of the chapter, Dr. Timothy Namo said members had expressed satisfaction with the briefing they got on the progress made so far and supported the suspension of the strike.

Lecturers at the Usmanu Dan Fodiyo University Sokoto are to resume work today October 9, following the suspension of the three months old strike yesterday.

The ASUU coordinator for the College of Health Sciences UDUS, Dr. Nma Jiya told Daily Trust after a congress meeting in Sokoto yesterday that they resolved to suspend the strike following the deal reached between government and its leaders at the weekend, describing the agreements as reasonable. "Everything in the deal was reasonable; you cannot have all you want", he said.

Jiya said it was resolved that a circular on all agreements which had been reached be out within two weeks of suspension of the strike and that implementation of new pay package should be effective from 1st of July, this year.

Reported by Francis Okeke, Andrew Agbese, Rakiya Muhammad and Muhammad Abubakar