The Presidency has dismissed as false media reports quoting President Muhammadu Buhari as giving a two-week ultimatum to the Minister of Education to resolve the dispute between the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, appealed to the media not to try to spread misinformation over the ongoing strike by members of ASUU.
The presidential aide, however, said: “It is a pity that almost all media houses allowed themselves to be deceived by interested sources that are not the authorised spokesmen of government.’’
He said the outcome of the meeting held by the president on Tuesday with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to end the agitations by university unions ought to be beyond spin-doctoring and conjectures.
“Neither during nor after the meeting was any ultimatum given to the Minister of Education.
“During the meeting, the Minister of Education requested that the Minister of Labour hands off the negotiation to allow him to lead and conclude what he had earlier on started with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“And he promised that he could get an agreement within the shortest possible time, possibly two to three weeks.
“In carrying out this assignment, the Minister will carry along all relevant ministries and agencies with statutory functions and duties relating to the issues involved,’’ he said.
