Reverse evil actions taken against our members, ASUU tells FUTO, other varsities

By Samuel Luka

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Bauchi Zone has called for the reversal of some actions it described as “evil” taken against her faithful members in some universities across the country.

Speaking to newsmen in Bauchi during the weekend, Zonal Coordinator Bauchi zone of the ASUU, Professor O.A Timothy Namo, said the vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) is punishing its members as a result of their stand against the promotion of Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami to professorship position.

“The Vice-Chancellor of FUTO and her cohorts have continued to unjustly punish our faithful members at the Branch because of their patriotic stand against the illegal appointment/promotion of one Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami to the rank of Professor”, the union said.

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ASUU demanded the reversal of what they described as “illegal actions” of the Vice-Chancellor against its members in the Branch.

“We call on the Vice-Chancellor to act sanely and respect the laws of the University”, the union requested.

He said in Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, there is a running battle between the State Government/University Administration and the Union.

Professor Namo said the battle has led to the seizure of salaries of some of its committed members for many months, non-remittance of third-party deductions and the autocratic running of the University using Special Intervention Team (SIT) which is alien to the University laws.

Also, the ASUU disclosed that the salaries of its faithful members in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam has been withheld by the management for up to a year.

Prof Namo explained that in COOU, the management has locked up the secretariat of ASUU and prevented members from holding meetings.

The ASUU coordinator further revealed that some of its members are being suspended mainly due to their opposition to the violation of academic standards by the University Administration.

While describing the action as “height of infringement on the fundamental rights of our members”, ASUU called on the Visitor to the University to intervene to prevent further escalation of the crisis in the University.

He said: “in all of these universities, our members have suffered and are still suffering untold hardship. This is unacceptable. We call on the visitors and Vice-Chancellors of these universities to stop the unjustifiable victimisation of our members and to reinstate those who have been sacked”.

Prof Namo said that ASUU suspects that the judiciary is colluding with some of the persecutors to delay and/or deny justice to her members.

ASUU appealed to the judiciary to accelerate the legal process and serve justice to her members, saying that some of the victimised members have died out of frustration while fighting the injustice perpetrated against them.

“Who will plead their case? We appeal to all stakeholders to join their voices with ours and prevail on the respective authorities of these universities to reverse their evil actions against our members”, the union said.