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ASUU distances self from Twitter, other social media handles

By Dennis Erezi
25 August 2020   |   10:23 am
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has distanced itself from all social media handles. The union in a statement said "ASUU Leadership at the National level does not maintain any social media presence, being it Twitter, Facebook account or page, Whatsapp account (single account or group) etc. The clarification came after the union faced…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has distanced itself from all social media handles.

The union in a statement said “ASUU Leadership at the National level does not maintain any social media presence, being it Twitter, Facebook account or page, Whatsapp account (single account or group) etc.

The clarification came after the union faced social media backlash based on a tweet by @ASUUNGR which contained a typo.

The Guardian published an article based on the reactions of Twitter users to the typo.

An ASUU source told The Guardian on Wednesday that the Twitter account @ASUUNGR does not belong to ASUU. The source said the union asked its members in a circular in March 2019 to report the handle until it is deactivated by Twitter.

But the account is still active and is misrepresenting the union.

Recently this week, the Twitter account released a statement to address Nigerian students about ASUU’s ongoing negotiation with the Nigerian government about the reopening of schools.

Students in Nigeria-owned tertiary institutions are currently out of school after their campuses were shut due to an ongoing industrial strike action coupled with the compulsory school closure to prevent a further spread of coronavirus in the country.

Although activities are gradually returning to normal in different sectors of the country, the schools remain shut amidst students protest for the schools to be reopened. Many of the student unions fault ASUU for the continued closure of schools. This, the parody account claimed to be addressing when it made a typographical error.

The account released a statement titled “ASUU Chairman Asks Nigerian Students For Their Corporation”. The ‘corporation’ would have been cooperation – to mean a plea for students’ support in the ongoing negotiation with the Nigerian government. But it was spelt corporation.

It continued – “Students who are our children and partners in progress should show understanding, what we are asking from the government are in their interest and the interest of the nation, good hostel accommodation, good classroom blocks that can engender effective learning laboratories where cutting edge research can be carried out and offices that can drive the process of quality university education.”

The error, was, however, perceived by many Nigerian students to be made by ASUU.


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