ASUU AAU breaks into factions

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ambrose Alli University (AAU) chapter has broken into two factions following crisis that engulfed the union during an aborted election.

The election of new executives which was scheduled for 27 February, 2018, could not hold, causing the national body of the union to extend the tenure of the current executive indefinitely.

While the nationally recognised faction is headed by Dr Monday Igbafen, the leader of the break away faction is Dr Hanson Iyawe, who is however claiming to be the authentic chairperson.

Dr Iyawe, chairperson of the breakaway faction in an interview said the Dr  Igbafen’s executives, where he was the treasurer could not continue to exist legally when its tenure had elapsed and could not be extended by the national body constitutionally.

He alleged that some few members of the chapter had constituted themselves into a cabal running the union with impunity, setting strange rules to shut out members outside their cabal.

He said the alleged cabal had attempted to disqualify him from contesting as chairperson of the union on trumped up allegation of not attending required number of congresses, alleging that when that failed, they decided to abort the election.

The chairman of the faction recognised by the national body, Dr Igbafen said the  news of faction in ASUU in AAU was incorrect as no other person had been elected to run the affairs of the union in the university.

He accused the university’s vice chancellor, Professor Ignatius Onimawo of being behind the crisis using Dr Iyawe as instrument, in a bid to weaken the union for his alleged selfish interest.

Igbafen alleged further that the vice chancellor and his group frustrated the conduct of the February 27 election because they allegedly knew they stood no chance.

He said the national body of ASUU had already written to the vice chancellor, intimating him that there was only one recognised ASUU in AAU,  which was the one headed by him.

The VC in his reaction, said the allegation was baseless, as the union was made up of matured intellectuals that could hardly be manipulated.

He said rather than pointing accusing fingers at him, he (Igbafen) should do a soul searching, which would enable him discover that he had not led his members well.

He alleged that over 200 academic staff had withdrawn from Dr Igbafen’s ASUU, saying that,“it is an indication that his leadership style is questionable.”

The chairperson’s position of the AAU chapter of ASUU was to be contested by the incumbent chairperson and Dr Hanson Iyawe before the election was aborted due to crisis.