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Strike: ASUU tackles NITDA over UTAS
…Why we oppose IPPIS
…NITDA did a hatchet job
THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday, berated the National Information Technology and Development Agency, NITDA, over what it described as ‘deliberate misinformation and disinformation of the public on the integrity test conducted on the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS, by the agency.
The Lagos Zonal Coordinator of the Union, Mr Adelaja Odukoya, who spoke at a press conference held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, said the utterances of the NITDA spokespersons are capable of elongating the ongoing strike.
Odukoya said its members would not return to the class until the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS, is adopted and all their allowances paid.
His words: “We, however, wish to draw the attention of all concerned to the deliberate misinformation and disinformation of the public by the National Information Technology and Development Agency, NITDA, on the state of the Integrity Test and the adoption of UTAS by Federal Government.
“NITDA was directed to conduct Integrity Test on the UTAS platform before deployment by government. However, in a report of the first test sent to the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami on December 3, 2021, NITDA indicated that the UTAS platform failed some fundamental test cases, despite a summary score of 97.4% and therefore, declined issuance of Certificate of Compliance. ASUU however, disagreed with the NITDA report and wondered how 97.4% could have amounted to failure.
“Consequent upon this disagreement, it was agreed at a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment that joint re-assessment tests between the technical teams of ASUU and NITDA be conducted and these were done on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. Expectedly, the assessment of all the 698 tests conducted was successful with an overall score of 99.3%. The few exceptions are five cases requiring modifications.
“However, while the re-assessment tests were ongoing, the DG, NITDA released misleading information to the public from the discredited report of the first test that UTAS failed again, leaving out the result of the jointly conducted second test of 99.3%. Our Union then wonders how and where a 99.3% test score would be adjudged as a fail.
“We are aware that the position of the NITDA DG, Inuwa Abdullahi, is not consistent with the enthusiasm of the Technical Team from the agency he superintends over and the DG is unduly politicizing the entire process to the country, possibly in the interest of the Minister for Communication and Digital Economy.
“Their dispositions amount to passing a vote of no confidence on the Nigerian intelligentsia and our union would not allow this to fly. Good enough, we are convinced that the Technical Team from NITDA, are quite abreast of the process and the responsibilities around their certified qualifications”.
“If the government allows itself to be misinformed and misdirected through the managerial incompetence of the NITDA officers, our union considers it the peak of insensitivity to the plight of the Universities, including staff, students and indeed the country.”
ASUU argued that the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, was imposed on universities, despite its demonstrated shortcomings.
He said: “The Federal Government’s forceful migration of our members unto the platform, even when our union has demonstrated that the system does not accommodate the peculiarities of the university system should not just worry Nigerians but should equally raise the curiosity of lovers of Nigerians on the main reasons for imposing IPPIS.
“ASUU has consistently pointed out the apparent deficiencies inherent in IPPIS and the glaring superiority of our indigenously developed and home-grown UTAS as confirmed by all Government Agencies and stakeholders in the University System.”
“Our union has continually drawn the attention of Nigerians to the widely reported fraud being perpetrated by the operators of IPPIS within and outside the Accountant-General of the Federation’s Office. This monumental fraud in IPPIS was confirmed by the report of the Auditor-General of the Federation and was equally acknowledged by the National Assembly when the AGF appeared before its Public Accounts Committee.
“IPPIS is a bastion of fraud that permits the enrolment of ghost workers and constitutes a financial drain on the scarce resource of the Nigerian State.
“This development was also recently reinforced by the confession of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Folashade Yemi-Esan, who alarmed that over 500 names of fake workers have infiltrated the IPPIS platform.
“IPPIS, as a payment platform is yet to be subjected to any Integrity Test by the government. Our union challenged the government to similarly subject IPPIS to Integrity Test as done to UTAS by independent technical teams”.
“ASUU, therefore, wants the Nigerian public to call the DG, NITDA to order on the point of integrity not to play politics and vendetta with the future of Nigeria and that of our public Universities as National treasures and collective patrimony of all Nigerian citizens.
“We are convinced that the DG of NITDA is only out to carry out the hatchet job of a Minister whose Professorial fraud was challenged by our Union.
“After the second re-assessment tests that ended on March 18, 2022, ASUU and NITDA technical teams agreed to reconvene on Monday, March 28, 2022, to conclude on the outstanding five test cases, demonstrate the payment gateway and implementation of other recommendations on the UTAS Platform. Surprisingly, NITDA on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022 unilaterally cancelled the scheduled meeting of Monday, March 28th 2022 which was intended to conclude the report for onward submission to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment.
“It has become very clear to our Union that the unilateral cancellation of the meeting of Monday, March 28th was a proof that NITDA has come to the final stop and admitted failure in all the orchestrated unpatriotic attempts to sabotage and discredit UTAS which an otherwise forward-looking government would be finding ways of deploying beyond the Nigerian public universities for which it was designed. It can, therefore, not be over-emphasized that government has run out of reasons and lies not to accept, approve and adopt UTAS.”
The Union noted that the strike would not be suspended until the government addresses the adoption of UTAS, implement the renegotiated agreement, pay all outstanding allowances and fulfil all other issues contained in the Memorandum of Action signed with our union.
The All Progressives Congress has confirmed that it plans to adopt a consensus approach for selecting its national leadership during the party’s convention scheduled for March 27–28, 2026, in Abuja.
The Assistant Secretary for Media and Publicity for the APC National Convention 2026, Mary Ikoku, disclosed the plan during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.
On the issue of elective positions during primaries, Ikoku said the party had not yet decided how these would be handled, noting that decisions may vary depending on local political dynamics.
She explained, “APC, for this convention, I am aware and can say that the party is adopting consensus for this convention. As to whether they are adopting consensus for elective positions, I do not have an answer to that because politics is local.
“So, I believe that, at the end of the day, when it comes to the issue of elective positions, the persons who would emerge aren’t often what you would want to make consensus in every space.”
Ikoku also addressed the Electoral Act’s provisions, which require political parties to register members online within a specified timeframe and outline acceptable methods for candidate selection.
She said these requirements posed challenges for some parties but reflected preparedness—or the lack thereof.
“We have an electoral law that defines the models for these elections. Direct primaries and consensus have been allowed, while indirect primaries have been taken out.
“That is the current law of the nation, passed and assented to. Now, why do you think other political parties will have issues with that?” she asked.
“That would be to say there are levels of unpreparedness of these political parties. Any political party that is worth its salt should not wait till election season to start preparing for the run for office and all of these congresses.
“It is something they would have planned ahead of time. So, when you are not proactive as a party, these kinds of situations can challenge you deeply,” she added.
Ahead of the convention, the party began screening aspirants for key positions in its National Working Committee , including National Chairman aspirant Nentawe Yilwatda and National Secretary hopeful Ajibola Basiru.
Other NWC members seeking to retain their posts include National Youth Leader Dayo Israel, Deputy National Chairman (North) Ali Bukar Dalori, National Legal Adviser Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, National Woman Leader Mary Alile Idele, and National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka, among others.
Security presence surged around the Federal High Court in Kaduna on Tuesday as operatives from multiple agencies were deployed ahead of the arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged corruption-related offences.
By about 7:00 a.m., heavily armed personnel of the Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force, Mobile Police Force, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps had taken positions at strategic locations leading to the court complex situated within the old Nigerian Defence Academy area.
Access roads to the venue witnessed restrictions, forcing vehicles into a single lane from the Ungwan Sarki axis through Kawo and triggering early morning gridlock.
The heavy security followed a prior notice by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission that it would arraign El-Rufai on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, before the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna.
In a statement issued by its Head of Media and Public Communications, John Odey, the commission said the former governor would be docked alongside one Joel Adoga in suit number FHC/KD/73/2026.
The agency explained that the charges against the defendants include alleged conversion, unlawful possession of public property, and money laundering.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission is set to arraign the former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, and one Joel Adoga at the Federal High Court of Nigeria in the Kaduna Judicial Division on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. The charges range from conversion of and possession of public property to money laundering,” the statement read.
It further disclosed that another case, marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/26, had been instituted against El-Rufai and one Amadu Sule before a Kaduna State High Court.
According to the commission, the state charges border on abuse of office, fraud, intent to commit fraud, and conferring undue advantage.
“Similarly, another charge against Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i and one Amadu Sule has been filed before a Kaduna State High Court in the Kaduna Judicial Division. The charges range from abuse of office and fraud to intent to commit fraud and conferring undue advantage, among others,” the statement added.
The ICPC said both cases were filed on March 18, 2026, adding that a date for arraignment in the state court would be announced later.
It also insisted that El-Rufai had been properly served, stressing its adherence to due process and the rule of law.
The development came amid growing pressure from stakeholders, including the African Democratic Congress, which called for his immediate release or arraignment, describing his continued detention without formal charges as unconstitutional.
In the same vein, the Muslim Rights Concern criticised his prolonged detention, while members of his family also alleged a breach of his fundamental rights.
El-Rufai was first arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on February 16, 2026, granted bail two days later, and subsequently re-arrested by the ICPC.
He has remained in the custody of the anti-graft agency since then, pending his arraignment.
Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has extended warm felicitations to Muslims in Nigeria and across the globe on the joyous occasion of Eid-el-Fitr.
In a statement to mark the end of Ramadan, Araraume highlighted the significance of the month long period of spiritual reflection, fasting, and devotion. “As Muslims gather with loved ones to share in the festivities, I join in the cheer, wishing everyone a blessed and peaceful Eid,” he said.
The Senator expressed profound appreciation to Muslim Nigerians for their contributions to the nation’s growth, describing their faith, resilience, and patriotism as beacons of hope. “Your unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s progress is truly commendable,” he stated.
As the country navigates its current challenges, Araraume called for unity, understanding, and collective effort. “Let us embrace the spirit of Eid, forgiveness, generosity, and kindness, to build a brighter future for ourselves and generations to come,” he urged.
Araraume also extended solidarity to President Bola Tinubu, a distinguished Muslim and the leader of APC, praising his visionary leadership and dedication to nation building. “President Tinubu’s commitment to serving Nigeria has been exemplary, and we assure him of our continued support,” he said.
Reaffirming the APC’s commitment to national prosperity, Araraume emphasized that the values of compassion, unity, and progress embodied by Eid align deeply with the party’s ethos. “As we mark this occasion, we reaffirm our dedication to creating a Nigeria where faith and ethnic background are not barriers to success,” he concluded.
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