Taraba varsity ASUU dissociates self from purported VC suspension

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University (TSU) chapter, has dissociated itself from a purported meeting where the alleged suspension of the Vice-Chancellor was said to have been decided.

Tribune Online reports that a Taraba-based local newspaper had earlier on Saturday published a report claiming that Professor Sunday Paul Bako, Vice-Chancellor of Taraba State University, was suspended by Governor Agbu Kefas.

According to the publication, the decision to suspend the VC was taken at a meeting attended by ASUU-TSU, SSANU-TSU, and the university’s Governing Council.

However, Dr. Joshua Garba Mbave, Chairman of ASUU-TSU, in a statement described the publication as “falsehood” and urged the general public to disregard what he termed mischievous information linking the union to such a meeting.

The statement read in part: “The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University Chapter, has taken note of the two publications by Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper on February 21, 2026, alleging that representatives of ASUU were present at, or party to, a meeting where the purported suspension of the Vice-Chancellor of Taraba State University, Professor Sunday Paul Bako, and the dissolution of the Governing Council were decided.

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“ASUU wishes to unequivocally state that at no time was the union invited to, nor did it participate in, any meeting with the Taraba State Government where such decisions were taken or discussed. Any report suggesting otherwise is false, misleading, malicious, and capable of bringing the union into disrepute.”

Dr. Mbave, on behalf of ASUU-TSU, explained that the establishment, governance, appointment, and removal of principal officers of the university are strictly governed by Law No. 4 of 2008, which established the institution.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the establishment, governance, appointment, and removal of principal officers of Taraba State University are strictly governed by Law No. 4 of 2008, which established the university

“That law clearly provides procedures for the appointment and removal of principal officers and does not vest unilateral powers in any authority to suspend a principal officer or dissolve the Governing Council, nor does it provide for the appointment of a Sole Administrator.

“Any action taken outside these statutory provisions is ultra vires, null and void, and of no effect,” the statement added.

The union demanded an immediate retraction and public apology from the publishers of platform for allegedly linking it to a meeting where such decisions were taken.

“In light of the above, ASUU-TSU demands an immediate retraction and a public apology from the publishers of Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper for falsely alleging that the union was part of a meeting where such decisions were taken. The union will not accept being falsely portrayed as complicit in actions it neither endorsed nor participated in,” it stated.

ASUU-TSU further noted that the issues currently under dispute with the Taraba State Government are clear, documented, and longstanding. These include:

a) The absence of a functional pension scheme for staff of the university.

b) The failure to pay the backlog of outstanding 2022 salaries owed to members of the union;

c) The non-payment of accumulated Earned Academic Allowances (EAA); and

d) The implementation of the newly negotiated ASUU–FGN Agreement of 2025, which took effect on January 1, 2026.

Dr. Mbave said these issues had been formally communicated to the government and called on Governor Kefas to address the demands expeditiously to restore industrial harmony and resume normal academic activities.

“These issues have been formally communicated to government. The union therefore calls on His Excellency, Dr. Agbu Kefas, to expeditiously address these demands in order to restore industrial harmony and resume normal academic activities in the university.

“The union is particularly flabbergasted that within a period of less than two years, the government constituted two separate staff screening/verification committees and a visitation panel, yet the reports of these bodies have not been made public nor implemented.

“This failure has left the university community in a state of uncertainty and raises serious questions as to why government has refused or neglected to act on the outcomes of its own investigative mechanisms.

“ASUU therefore cautions that it should not be dragged into or associated with any purported suspension of the Vice-Chancellor through media reports. The union’s demands are lawful, clearly articulated, and aimed at safeguarding the integrity, autonomy, and stability of the university.”

Mbave added that ASUU’s demands deserve the government’s urgent and sincere attention if the current avoidable industrial dispute is to be resolved and the university reopened for teaching, learning, and research activities.