ASUU blasts Bello over proscription order

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU), on Thursday said the Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, lacked the power to proscribe the union in the state-owned university, Anyigba.

The union said the action of the governor was based on his ignorance of the law and the rules guiding the operations of ASUU.

The zonal coordinator, Nsukka Zone of the union, Prof David Ikoni, while speaking with newsmen in Lokoja, the state capital, said the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the union would meet on Saturday.

Read also: Bello proscribes ASUU in Kogi varsity

According to him, the action of the governor had portrayed him as a despot, adding that the purported proscription is null and void.

Bello had last Wednesday proclaimed the proscription of the union over his failure to end its over six-months old strike despite meeting over 90 per cent of its demands.

The union however said as a trade union of academics in Nigerian universities, ASUU is a body of intellectuals that could not be proscribed on the pages of newspapers or other social media.

Ikoni said, “By section 40 of the Constitution, every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interest.”

“The actions of the governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello of allegedly proscribing ASUU-KSU, Anyigba therefore smacked off ignorance of the position of law and brings to fore the question of whether he has the mental capacity and the needed leadership quality to lead the as a Governor.”

He argued that ASUU, as a trade union with several members, had every right to agitate and struggle for the protection of the interest and welfare of its members especially in a democratic setting.

He said, “It is evident that some academic staff of the university, are yet to receive their salaries for upward of 14 months contrary to the statement credit to the governor that they have fulfilled over 90 per cent of their demand and have gone a step further to pay all outstanding salaries of both cleared and uncleared staffs including those that have committed one crime or the other.”

“This is a white lie being orchestrated by the governor to blackmail the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Kogi State University Branch,” he lamented.

He pointed out that for the University System to function as efficient and effectively as expected, the stakeholders needed to work in harmony, collaborating with ASUU to a great extend with a clear sense of focus, having vision and mission.

He therefore called on members of ASUU-KSU, Anyigba to remain steadfast in the strike as no amount of intimidation by the state government, could stop them from the legitimate pursuit of their rights for a better working environment and personal emoluments.

“The continuous failure of government to fulfil its obligations to the Union is a clear indication of Kogi State Government’s insincerity and noncommittal attitude to the development of education sector in the state.

“As an end to this strike, the Union demands equivocal withdrawal of the statement allegedly proscribing ASUU-KSU, Anyigba with apology to the members of our Union and the general public; payment of arrears of 14 months salaries owed to academic staff, especially those employed following due process, in 2015.

“Restoration of full University with autonomy to Kogi State University, Anyigba, democratic running of the University with involvement if the elected representatives of Union of workers and students in all the decision-making organs of the University; return to negotiating table with Union to chart the way forward.”