The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has elected Professor Chris Piwuna of the University of Jos as its new President.
Piwuna is the Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Jos and a consultant psychiatrist at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital (UJTH) in Jos.
The election took place at the end of the union’s 23rd National Delegates Congress held at the University of Benin on Sunday in Benin City, Edo State.
He defeated his closest opponent, Professor Adamu Babayo of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.
Result of the election showed Dr. Austen Sado of University of Port Harcourt scoring 231 votes to defeat the outgoing treasurer, Prof. Olusiji Sowande of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, who garnered 174 votes.
Also, Chairman of the ASUU chapter at Kaduna State University, Dr Adamu Peter, emerged as the new treasurer with 296 votes after defeating Prof. Denis Aribodo of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, who polled 106 votes.
Others elected included Austen Sado, vice president; Happiness Uduk, financial secretary; Celestine Aguoru, investment secretary; Aisha Bawa, welfare officer; and Kassim Umar, internal auditor.
Piwuna takes over from the outgoing ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, a Professor of Soil Science from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, who served as the union’s president from May 30, 2021, until May 11, 2025, completing a four-year tenure.
The National Delegates Conference brought together academics from various universities across the country to deliberate on key issues affecting tertiary education in Nigeria and to elect a new leadership.
Piwuna’s assumption of the ASUU presidency comes at a critical time for Nigerian universities, with ongoing discussions surrounding funding, Earned Academic Allowances of University academic staff, mass labour migration from the universities, brain drain, issues of autonomy, and improved welfare for academic staff.
In his acceptance speech, the new president pledged to address the pressing challenges facing Nigeria’s public university system and called for the support of all ASUU members to succeed in his mandate.
