Why Obaseki does not deserve NUT Award – Airiavbere

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Gen. Charles Airiavbere (Rtd), yesterday declared that Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state does not deserve the Award given to him last weekend by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).

He said teachers in Edo state are the worst victims of the administration after the governor decided to shut down some of the institutions in the state, adding that thousands of teachers and students are roaming the street of Benin due to the policies of the governor.

Gen.Airiavbere in a statement signed by him, vowed that he will inflict defeat on governor Obaseki in the APC governorship primaries next year, asserted “I feel ashamed as an Edo man that Governor Obaseki has accorded importance to this frivolity”.

According to him, “I will not blame the leadership of the NUT that gave him the Award because it might not have been able to access the full information about the governor’s activities and performance in the entire education sector in Edo State. Assuming that it even had access to full information in that regard not to engage in such a charade and absurdity, other exogenous factors might have conspired to compel it to do so.

“I have a strong hunch that Governor Obaseki may have sponsored the activities related to the said NUT award ceremony with Edo tax payers’ money. The event itself was not only preposterous but fruitless exercise in image laundering. It was a writ-large effort at appropriating statewide popularity; whereas, in reality, the governor is only basking in the transient euphoria of bogus popularity and deceptive populism.

Therefore, I have decided to enlighten my good people of Edo State and others whom he may approach for more Awards in the future to first interrogate the governor on the projects he had embarked upon and completed in the three years of being in the saddle. That will either validate or invalidate his claim to such awards.

“Our teachers may not know this: since Obaseki assumed office as Governor of Edo state, he has decided to shut down most of the educational institutions, that operated during the tenure of his predecessor, Comrade Adams Oshiombhole, who today is the National Chair of the APC. Thousands of teachers in the state have been rendered jobless while students of these institutions have become hopeless because there are no more schools to attend. The privileged ones were able to secure admissions in other schools.

“Governor Obaseki has not told Edo people why he dismissed a successful Benin man, the Provost of the College of School of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi, Dr Obasogie and the entire Benin /Edo people lecturing/working in an institution that was already producing HND graduates, and recognized by NYSC before Obaseki was elected as the governor of Edo State. He has brazenly refused to obey the judgment of the National Industrial Court, Akure Judicial Division, delivered by Justice O. O. Oyewumi, on the 2nd of July 2019, which declared as null and void the closing down of the College of Agriculture Iguorakhi by the governor.

“The court had declared that staff members of the College were statutory staff members and could only be sacked according to public service rules. The Court had ruled that the annual subventions of the College be released to enable the College resume normal academic work and further asked the state government to immediately pay the salaries and other entitlements of the workers forthwith. As a matter of fact, a worthy  son of Benin Kingdom, Dr. Ehiogie West- Idahosa instituted the law suit as counsel to  these sacked teachers and students of that institution.

“So you ask, what manner of a governor in this democracy will violate the judgment of a court, relish in his decision to sack teachers and close educational institutions; and, yet has the gut to accept an Award from the tribe of teachers as the best governor in the country?  Today, these sacked teachers have not received their salaries; and, unfortunately, some of them had lost their lives after they lost their means of livelihood.

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“I challenge the NUT who gave him that Award to go and investigate these facts if actually they were meant to carter to the welfare of their members. Governor Obaseki has also yet to tell Edo people why he closed down the former College of Education, Ekiadolor, an Institution that was creating employment, economic activities and civilization for Ekiadolor/Benin community. That institution was upgraded to a University by the administration of Governor Oshiomhole, but as we speak, the staff, teachers and students are marauding the streets of Benin City due to the decision of governor Obaseki to shut down the institution. So what manner of Award is being given to him? 

“I have by this medium put Governor Obaseki on notice that I will join other well-meaning contestants and leaders of the APC to deny him re-election ticket as he does not deserve it” it stated.