One month after, AAU lecturers vow to sustain strike

Citing what it described as the fruitless and unnecessary meddlesomeness in the affairs of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State (AAU), the local chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has vowed not to call off its strike until all the demands of the striking lecturers are met.

The lecturers have been on strike since March 25 over unpaid five months salary arrears, check-off dues and other sundry deductions

The local chairman of ASUU, Prof. Monday Igbafen and the secretary, Dr Anthony Aizebioje-Coker said that the recent memo of a threat directed the branch to conduct an election on or before 27th of April, this year was in bad taste.

Igbafen and Aizebioje-Coker added that the union has adequately responded to the authorities attempt to violate ASUU Laws/Constitution and usurp the powers of the Principal Officers of the union headed by the Comrade President Biodun Ogunyemi.

The chairman and the secretary advised members to continue to be wary of some members who collaborate with the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ignatius Onimawo to frustrate ASUU’s struggle to secure the teachers unpaid salaries, check-off dues and other sundry deductions.

Some of them are currently occupying unmerited positions, while others are mainly those who are ready to work with or without salaries because of their penchant for forceful sales of textbooks and illegal collection of monies from students. As already indicated in Strike Bulletin 2, we know all of them.

They said: “There are members who are ready to deliver any kind of lecture just to spite the union. We shall expose them at the right time. Members are all reminded not to participate in teaching, examinations, lectures (valedictory and inaugural inclusive) and meetings of any kind (Council, Senate, College, Faculty, Departmental, etc.) during the ongoing strike action. The strike as you are aware is total, comprehensive and indefinite.

“Consequently, members are strongly advised to boycott the inaugural lecture scheduled for 29th of April, this year. The union is taking appropriate steps to confront the situation and any member caught in attendance will be sanctioned accordingly. The union views the said inaugural lecture as not only an affront to our collective struggle to get our salaries paid but also a further attestation that the university administration is ready to enslave us.”

They disclosed that they were aware of an illegal emergency College Academic Board (CAB) meeting of the University’s College of Medicine which was scheduled for last Monday 26th April by the acting Provost of the University’s College of Medicine to consider second Bachelor of Medicine results.

They vowed: “Thy union will take appropriate step to confront the result of the illegal meeting in due course. Our current strike is a just one because we deserve to be paid our salaries and our voluntary savings in our various welfare associations and cooperative societies.”

Igbafen and Aizebioje-Coker insisted that no amount of manipulation, intimidation and victimization will make the aggrieved teachers retract their demand or suspend the ongoing strike without satisfactorily meeting their demand for the payment of their entitlements.

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