Don’t send students back to campuses,
ASUU begs Parents
on december 02, 2013 at 12:10 am in
headlines
By Henry Umoru Ola Ajayi, Johnbosco
Agbakwuru , Joseph Erunke & Ikenna
Asomba
ABUJA — FORTY eight hours to the deadline
given by the Federal Government to striking
university lecturers to resume classes or be
sacked, the union has remained adamant,
advising parents not to risk the lives of their
children by sending them to the campuses.
The Presidency, on its part accused ASUU
leaders of treachery and warned the
university lecturers not to dare the resolve
of government to carry out its threat to sack
them if they failed to resume.
The Senate President, David Mark has also
cautioned the Federal Government over the
threat to sack the striking lecturers just as
the All Progressives Congress (APC) slammed
the government for issuing the threat.
ASUU-fg
Supervising Minister for Education, Mr
Nyesom Wike last Thursday gave the
lecturers a seven-day ultimatum to resume
from their six-month strike or risk being
sacked. President Goodluck Jonathan,
however, clarified, weekend, in Bayelsa that
the Federal Government did not give the
ultimatum, stating that it was given by the
Committee of Vice Chancellors.
However, the Secretary-General of the
Committee of Vice Chancellors, Professor
Mike Faborede denied the claim that his
committee gave the ultimatum. He passed
the buck to the Committee of Pro-
Chancellors.
ASUU meantime said no academic activities
would resume until the Federal Government
perfects and implements resolutions
reached with the union.
The order given by the Federal Government
that universities across the country should
resume seems not to have any impact in the
University of Ibadan.
A visit to the campus, yesterday, showed
that the order had been ignored by students
as they did not turn up for resumption.
A student, Bolade who did not want his
surname in print said the order was
disregarded because they knew the
approach of the Federal Government would
only aggravate the face-off.
All the halls of residence — Kuti Hall, Sultan
Bello, Independence, Nnamdi Azikwe, Queen
Elizabeth and Idia Halls in the institution
were still deserted. Though, the halls were
opened, only some non academic staff and
few students who did not leave the campus
at all were seen.
Describing the threat by Federal Government
as height of insensitivity, the academic
union asked its members not to sign any
register but to remain calm and stay
resolute.
On denial by President Goodluck Jonathan
that he never issued any ultimatum to the
union, the National President of ASUU, Dr.
Nasir Fagge and University of Ibadan
chapter of the Union, ASUU said it was
laughable.
Fagge said: “Comrades, can you see the
unfolding drama? Now, Jonathan says they
didn’t give ultimatum; that the Vice
Chancellors did and Wike became their
trumpet; But NUC’s ultimatum is by Federal
Government to us to resume or get sacked.
And Wike’s press address says “FG has
directed, “NOT”VCs have directed”Be calm,
stay resolute. By God, we are on course”
Also speaking in the same vein, UI ASUU
chairman, Dr. Segun Ajiboye asked parents
not to risk the precious lives of “our
students by releasing them, saying no
lecturer will teach them.
“Don’t risk the lives of your children, keep
your children at home because ASUU will not
teach. Soldiers and the police deployed by
the Federal Government will not teach. Mr
Wike can come and teach in university. It is a
huge joke to sack professors. Our strike
must not be in vain. Our students must see
the results. It is funny; we thought we are in
a democracy. I assure Nigerians that we
know what the law says about the strike.
Our job is statute backed. We are not
threatened. We do not trust the government.
The record of the government is clear. This
government is dishonouring agreements.
Our members are resolved to pursue this to
a logical conclusion”
UI ASUU also sent a text message to its staff
reads: “Dear members, stay calm and remain
resolute. There is nothing wrong in asking
govt to do what it says it will do
immediately. ASUU is not making any new
demands as the Minister is propagating.
Government is only repeating a ‘one act play’
scripted by the IBB dictatorship in early 90s.
It didn’t work then, and, it won’t work now.!
all branches are intact. We cannot be
intimidated!!united we bargain, divided we
beg!!!Aluta Continua.”
Don’t dare Govt, Presidency warns
Meanwhile, the Presidency yesterday
accused the leadership of the Academic Staff
Union of Universities, ASUU of treachery, just
as it warned the university lecturers not to
dare the resolve of government to carry out
its threat to sack them if they failed to
resume.
According to the Presidency, ASUU leaders
have gone contrary to the desire of majority
of their chapters who have voted and
agreed to end the strike because of the
personal intervention of President Goodluck
Jonathan, even as it boasted that it was
joking with the threat of sacking the
lecturers.
Addressing Journalists yesterday in Abuja,
Senior Special Assistant to the President on
Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe said that
ASUU leadership came into negotiation with
a mindset that betrayed what he termed,
lack of understanding that the nation and
the government were a continuum.
Asked whether the Federal Government can
fill the vacancies if the lecturers were indeed
sacked, he retorted: “Do you think the
government is joking?”
Okupe who noted that the 13-hour meeting
Jonathan held with ASUU ended with a
definite agreement and resolutions
acceptable to the ASUU leadership, however
stressed that the leadership of ASUU was
expected to consult with its members
nationwide and report back to government
within one week.
“The ASUU leadership rather than take its
responsibility seriously, wasted seven days
before scheduling a meeting. When the
meeting eventually held the leadership
decided to thwart and undemocratically
override the expressed will of majority of its
chapters to call off the strike. This action is
contrary to established practice and
procedure of any democratic labour
institution, which ASUU is expected to be.”
The Secretary-Generl of the Committee of
Vice-Chancellors in a text message to
Vanguard, last night, said: “The Committee
of Pro-Chancellors (CPC), issued the
ultimatum, not the Committee of Vice-
Chancellors (CVC).”
Mark cautions FG over threat
Senate President, David Mark has also
cautioned the federal government on the
use of threat to solve the lingering crisis
with ASUU.
The Senate President for the umpteenth
time also pleaded with ASUU to reconsider
their position and return to classes to
salvage the already battered education
sector from further deterioration.
Senator Mark who advised the Federal
Government not to use the sledgehammer
on ASUU on account of the five months
strike when he commissioned a lecture
theatre for the School of management
sciences at the Kano state polytechnic
donated by Senator Kabiru Gaya, pleaded
with the teachers to resume classes while
negations continue.
He said, “We have reached a situation where
hardline positions would worsen the
situation. My plea to ASUU is to resume
classes while negotiation continues. The
strike has done enough damage to our
universities. They have also made their point
and I think we should reason together and
end this matter.
“Nobody, including the university teachers
themselves can be said to be enjoying this
crisis. It is a huge cost on government,
parents, the management, staff and
students of the universities.

Source: www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/dont-send-students-back-campuses-ASUU-begs-parents/

1st to comment.
@op ASUU where ar ur pikin 2? Awon oloriburuku.

Any info whether uniuyo has pull out of the strike?

Where are their own children? Foolish pple.

As xmas is fast approaching, if you in support that this year should be used up striking, negotiating and settling. Click like

Silly vanguard.do reason why ui students are nt back on campus yet is because they are expecting d directive by d VC and VC hasn't announced yet. UI students are desperate to go back to schl

God i just pray all dis strike wahala will end dis year bcus if it doesnt den am afraid it might last till nxt yr dec, can't we all c dat ASUU is delibrately prolonging dis strike? If dey were determined to end dis strike early they wuld hav brought all their demands at ones when dey were negotiating the last tym but dey didnt bcus dey wanted d strike to last longer. Am nt even angry becus dey demanded for their salaries bt wat's annoyin is dat dey had to wait dis far to bring dat demand up, abeg d govt or v.cs should force dem to open bcus 60% has already voted for d strike to be called off and d public also wants ASUU to go bak to class, so i dnt see any sign of dictatorship in wat d govt is tryin to do.

ayodeji752: Silly vanguard. The reason why ui students are nt back on campus yet is because they are expecting d directive by d VC and VC hasn't announced yet. UI students are desperate to go back to schl

*sigh* Same thing I thought when I read the news. Our able Prof. I.F.A has not directed the school to be opened hence the reason why students were not on campus.

I wonder why news reporters will propagate lies just to get their point across.