Senate President Ahmad Lawan has promised the upper chamber’s intervention in the lingering dispute between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

“We are going to intervene. We will make concerted and sustained efforts to bring back ASUU and the federal government to the negotiating table.

“So that we are able to resolve as quickly as possible those issues that are now very knotty and have stopped our Universities from reopening.”

Mr Lawan gave his word on Tuesday in Abuja to officials of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who were led to his office by a concerned Methodist Bishop, Sunday Onuoha.

Speaking further, Mr Lawan expressed unhappiness about the turn of events, recalling that the Senate had intervened in the past before, and promised to wade in again to ensure that the issues were soon resolved.

He appealed to the students to be patient as he seeks a solution to the issue. “We are going to make sure that everybody in this sector, especially those in the public sector who have responsibility and mandate perform their functions.”

On the students’ threat to disrupt political activities, Mr Lawan appealed to them to continue in the path of consultation, stating, “I don’t think it will be necessary to disrupt political activities. We shouldn’t do that and we don’t need to do that.”

NANS President, Sunday Asefon, who spoke on behalf of the students, decried their continued stay at home and disruption of academic programmes.

(NAN)