On Monday, I led the leadership of the Senate to a meeting with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), over the continuous closure of our universities as a result of the unresolved agreement between the union and the government.

Yesterday, we continued with our attempt to broker an understanding between the two parties by first meeting with the Ministers directly involved in the negotiation with ASUU, and then a joint meeting that included the ministers and the leaders of ASUU.

I want to say that progress is being made as a result of the joint meeting and we are hopeful that in no distant time, both parties will reach a middle ground and bring our universities back to life again.

I want to emphasized again that the Strike by ASUU is an ill-wind that does no one any good. Our children are home, whereas they should be in school. The continued closure of Universities on the flip-side poses security threat which on the long run would affect Nigeria adversely.

Just as I told them yesterday, ASUU cannot get just what they are asking for because it is simply unrealistic, and government cannot hold back and not do anything.

Something has to give by virtue of horse trading and accommodation; some kind of understanding has to be reached so that ASUU goes back to work and our universities reopened.