he clock is ticking in Taraba State.
The 14-day ultimatum issued by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University (TSU) branch, to Governor Agbu Kefas is due to expire on August 26, 2026.
The union is demanding implementation of the applicable provisions of the ASUU/FGN 2025 Agreement. But according to the branch chairman, Dr Joshua Garba Mbave, the governor has yet to communicate directly with the union on the matter.
That silence could become significant if the deadline passes without action.
You might want to read this: JAMB Introduces Home-Based O’Level Result Verification for 2026 Candidates
ASUU Says Governor Has Yet to Respond
Mbave told Tribune Online that ASUU-TSU had received neither written nor verbal communication from Governor Kefas since the ultimatum was issued.
He said the union subsequently met with officials of the relevant ministry, but the meeting did not produce a concrete response that could be presented to members.
According to the branch chairman, the dispute goes beyond the union’s immediate demands. He argued that implementation of the applicable provisions of the 2025 agreement is necessary to protect the university’s academic stability and prevent further disruption to its calendar.
“Our concern is the stability and quality of academic activities at the university,” Mbave said, while urging the state government to act before the deadline.
Ultimatum Expires Wednesday
ASUU-TSU issued the 14-day ultimatum as part of a directive from the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) concerning the continued non-implementation of the relevant provisions of the 2025 agreement.
With the deadline falling on Wednesday, August 26, the union says there is still time for the government to respond.
Mbave appealed to parents, students, university stakeholders and other members of the academic community to press the governor to address the issue.
He warned that if the government fails to act before the ultimatum expires, stakeholders should hold the governor responsible for the consequences.
Union Rejects Another Round of Consultations
ASUU-TSU has also made its position clear about what it expects from the state government.
The ultimatum, the union said, should not be treated as an opening for another prolonged round of consultations.
Instead, ASUU-TSU described it as a formal demand for compliance and implementation of the applicable provisions of the 2025 agreement.
The distinction matters because the union appears to be seeking concrete action rather than further discussions.
Gombe Decision Raises Pressure on Taraba
The situation has also taken on a regional dimension.
According to Tribune Online, the Gombe State Government approved payments linked to the union’s demands last week, leaving Taraba as the only northern state yet to approve similar payments.
That development could increase pressure on the Kefas administration as ASUU-TSU’s deadline approaches.
However, the report concerns the union’s position and does not establish that Taraba has formally rejected the demands.
Commissioner Yet to Comment
Efforts to obtain a response from the Taraba State Government were unsuccessful.
Dr Mike Dio Jen, the state’s Commissioner for Tertiary Education, reportedly did not respond to calls or text messages sent by Tribune Online concerning the dispute.
As the August 26 deadline approaches, attention is now focused on whether the state government will respond to ASUU-TSU’s demands—and, crucially, whether that response will come before the ultimatum expires.
For students and parents, the immediate issue is simple: Wednesday’s deadline is approaching, but the government’s position remains unclear.