₦airaland Forum

Niyi Sunmonu, national coordinator of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA), has explained why the breakaway faction of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was formed.

Years after parting ways with ASUU, the federal government on Tuesday formally recognised CONUA as Chris Ngige, the minister of labour and employment, presented a certificate of registration to the union in Abuja.

The move has since sparked mixed reactions from stakeholders in the education sector, as many believe that it was an attempt to reduce the influence of ASUU amid its lingering strike.

In a letter dated October 7, 2022, and obtained by TheCable, Sunmonu gave a rundown of the disagreements that led to the breakaway from ASUU.

According to Sunmonu, the formation of CONUA was set in motion by events that occurred between 2013 and 2016.

He noted that in 2013, elections were duly conducted into various offices of the executive committee of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, branch of ASUU but “regrettably”, the national executive council (NEC) of ASUU annulled the exercise “because the leadership of the union did not like those who emerged victorious”.

He said an ASUU NEC-favoured executive committee led by Caleb Aborisade was selected to run the affairs of the branch’s chapter.

He said the event spiralled into a crisis that rocked the process of appointing a new vice-chancellor for OAU.

“There was widespread dissatisfaction with the process which was perceived as manipulated, sometimes subtly and at other times blatantly, by the University Administration and the Governing Council, to produce a predetermined identifiable candidate as the VC,” he wrote.

“The Dr. Aborisade-led Executive Committee of ASUU-OAU was believed to be in cahoots with the University Administration and the Governing Council in the travesty.

“Meanwhile, the belief that the ASUU-OAU Executive Committee had been a collaborator in the unethical gambit that the VC selection process had started creating disaffection between the Executive and very many members of the union.”

He said rather than address the issue of dissatisfaction, Aborisade released a statement claiming that the VC selection “followed due process” and “was free, fair and transparent”.


HOW THE CRISIS WORSENED

He said the problems in the OAU branch were reported to ASUU-NEC, who in turn delegated Emmanuel Osodeke, the vice-president of the union at that time, to visit OAU to investigate the allegations.

“Professor Osodeke attended the Branch’s Congress, and members freely expressed in clear terms what the problems were, especially the unethical collaboration of the Branch Executive with the University Administration and Governing Council on the VC selection process. Despite appearing to see the problem and pledging to be objective, Professor Osodeke wrote and got to be published, seemingly by subterfuge, a report in which he claimed the selection “followed the process”, ostensibly in collusion with the branch Chairperson,” the letter reads.

“The impolitic and contemptuous action of walking out on Congress by the Dr. Aborisade-led Executive in response to queries regarding the gravely flawed Professor Osodeke-led committee’s report set in motion consequences unimaginably beyond the control of the Executive.”

He said thereafter, a three-person caretaker committee was nominated to steer the affairs of the union in the interim after the walkout.

“Niyi Sunmonu was named chairperson; Henri Oripeloye as secretary, and Monica Orisadare as financial officer,” he said.

“This redemptive Caretaker Committee ran the affairs of the OAU Branch of ASUU from 20th October 2016 to 12th February 2018, with popular support.”

He added that after “a fair hearing” by the investigation panel set up by the congress over sundry allegations against the suspended Aborisade-led executive, with the exception of M.O. Awoyemi (the treasurer), the executive committee was removed from office on December 14, 2016.

“About seven hundred and fifty (750) members subsequently signed, endorsing the removal, and the document was sent to ASUU-NEC in Abuja through the National President at the time, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi,” Sunmonu wrote in the letter.

He, however, said despite this, Ogunyemi sent two letters to the banks informing them that the only recognised signatories to the branch’s accounts were Aborisade, Saheed Adekilekun, and M.O. Awoyemi.

Then another letter dated April 10, 2017, informed the banks that Aborisade and Adekilekun would henceforth be operating the branch’s bank accounts while it excluded Awoyemi, who had been duly appointed as the mandatory signatory to the accounts.

“In other words, the National President unilaterally removed the Branch’s duly elected Treasurer, Dr. M. O. Awoyemi, who had neither been accused nor found guilty of any offence. The arbitrary directive to the banks from Professor Biodun Ogunyemi contravened the Constitution of the union, contradicted the National President’s earlier letter and violated the mandates to the banks,” he added.


ARBITRARY WITHDRAWAL FROM OAU-ASUU ACCOUNT

Sunmonu also alleged the transfer of about N11 million naira from the branch’s account to ASUU’s account which he said infuriated members of the university.

“At its meeting of Wednesday, 17th May 2017, the ASUU-OAU Congress charged the National President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, of being arrantly contemptuous of and further dividing the OAU branch of the union. It noted with disappointment that, at a time when there was a crisis in the branch, the President was only interested in our money and not how to resolve the crisis. His unilateral letters to the union’s banks to violate our mandates was regarded as a clear violation of members’ rights as contributors,” he said.

“Through the questionable set of circumstances, about eleven million naira (N11,000,000:00) was, cumulatively, transferred illegally from the ASUU-OAU bank account to the ASUU-National bank account. This unilateral, authoritarian and unconstitutional action of the National President of ASUU infuriated the mass of ASUU-OAU Branch members.”

He added that as the crisis of the ASUU-OAU worsened, an ASUU-NEC visitation committee was sent to the university to probe the issues raised.

In the end, it was recommended that some members of OAU-ASUU be suspended from the union and some others be expelled.

“The recommendations for suspension and expulsion were ratified on 4th February 2018 at the ASUU-NEC meeting held at Gombe State University. Hundreds of members of the ASUU-OAU were then suspended from the union for durations ranging from six (6) months to one (1) year, and members of the Caretaker Committee and some other members of the union were expelled outright from ASUU,” he said.

Sunmonu, however, said rather than heed the advice for the swift and pragmatic resolution of the branch’s crisis, ASUU-NEC was “more enamoured with wielding the big stick, without restraint”.

He said some of the members ASUU-NEC suspended or expelled from the union were very senior academics “some of whom were former and serving Heads of Departments, former and serving Deans of Faculties, former and serving Provosts of Colleges and even former and serving members of the OAU Governing Council”.

“To rub salt in the wound of especially these distinguished members of the OAU intelligentsia, ASUU-NEC set draconian and humiliating conditions for readmission into the union which no self-respecting academic would even contemplate to attempt to meet.”


FORMATION OF CONUA

Sunmonu said all these issues led to the formation of CONUA.

He said CONUA was formed to “provide a refuge for the academics who had been arrogantly driven out of ASUU was a key issue”.

He said the decision was taken at the ASUU-OAU congress that was held at the university on February 2018 and presided over by the caretaker committee.

“At the end of the discussions, Congress took the following key decisions: to constitute itself into a new Union that is totally independent of ASUU, adopt an appropriate name and open a new bank account for the check-off dues of its members,” he said.

He noted that membership of the union cut across all ranks of the academic profession, ranging from the entry rank of graduate assistant to the highest rank of professor.


https://www.thecable.ng/breach-of-ASUU-constitution-financial-misconduct-why-breakaway-conua-was-formed/amp

Eleyigidgan:
The way you dey take RUBBISH this ASUU ehn if them luckily come get your details then e comes worse you come be student omo i for pity your life

I swear Him and Ebubu and one guy like that dey give ASSU wotowoto.

kologba:
oga forget...f.g will still come back to dialogue with ASUU last last...all this 1 wey FG dey do na ngige dey suggest bad idea... Ibo people na get sense

And you think Ngige is acting alone?.

“Both of them are my friends. My choice will be in the ballot box. Whether conscience or no conscience, on that day in February, I’ll have one vote,” he had said.

“Chief Ngige and other APC appointees, especially in the federal cabinet should not forget in a hurry that they are holding onto party’s mandate, hence the need to protect it with whatever it requires, but if they can no longer protect the interest of the APC in public and that of our presidential candidate (Tinubu), I think the honourable thing to do is to step aside from the government formed by the APC"

APC is a house divided against it self cannot stand.

And that ASSU apologist above me, you no dey tire.

Septagon:
Op, keep replying urself.scam

You dey mind am

FG have been waiting for ASSU to play ball into their court. And ASSU have been doing that convincingly. ASSU should know by now that FG won't succumb to their biddings, Isn't that obvious?. And trying to continue with the strike after seven months of minimal success is just pure madness.

The only reasonable thing ASSU can do for now is to obey court verdict first, that is the logical thing they can at least do for now but ASSU always defy that.

"A wise man don't need advice, fool won't take it" Benjamin Franklin

"And besides, the Yoruba tribe belongs to Christ and not to mermaids that have light skinned bodies"

False and invalid. Speak for yourself.

Old news.

.

(Life!).

In the same life where minimum wages is 30,000 and some below.

Nothing is as good as getting paid for what you love doing most.

Living legends.

chatinent:
When I said all, I was serious about it.

Then some minister, councilor, chairman children that studied or studying in Nigeria universities are no longer a politician?.

chatinent:
ASUU was fighting for her rights. Nigeria is not just a country that values education.

Why should they when all politicians' kids school abroad?

"Most " would have validly fit in instead.

"The suit which had the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho as sole defendant was thrown out following its dramatic withdrawal by Kanu"

"Ejiofor told Journalists that the action was withdrawn following the discovery that the secret trial of terrorism cases adopted during Kanu’s prosecution was not targeted at his client".

(Look before you leap).

Moreover, Nigeria court don show this man shege. But wetin Kanu no go see for federal high court.

"Knowing when to leave may be the smartest thing anyone can learn" Burt Bacharach

"A wise man is he who knows when and how to stop" Victor Hugo

This should have been ASSU some month ago, most especially after NIC verdict,


But ASSU and their gragra, even with their suppose intellects and wisdom fail to acknowledged;

"A wise man don't need advice. Fool won't take it" Benjamin Franklin.

Moreover, Ngige does not need this charade. After all, both him (FG) and ASSU are bird of a feather. Mad people.

.

"Knowing when to leave may be the smartest thing anyone can learn" Burt Bacharach

"A wise man is he who knows when and how to stop" Victor Hugo

This should have been ASSU most especially after NIC verdict


"A wise man don't need advice. Fool won't take it" Benjamin Franklin.

But ASSU with their intellects and gragra

ASSU with their last and least resorts against FG right now

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has ordered the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities to resume work immediately.

The appellate court gave the order today while granting leave to ASUU to appeal the interlocutory injunction of Justice Polycarp Hamman of the Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria on September 21, 2022, asking members of the union to resume work.

The court presided over by Justice Hamma Barka, warned that if ASUU failed to comply with the court order, it automatically lost the right to appeal against the ruling of the lower court.

It, however, struck out the application by ASUU for a stay of execution of the order of the Industrial Court, based on the motion by the applicant’s counsel, Femi Falana (SAN) for the withdrawal of the application.

Reading the lead ruling, the Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Hamma Barka, ordered ASUU to file its notice of appeal of the ruling of the lower court within seven days.

Details later…


https://punchng.com/appeal-court-orders-ASUU-to-resume-immediately/

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.

seankafor:
Make Dem carry guns settle their matter

Lol

"The FG’s lawyer, James Igwe, and lead counsel for ASUU, Femi Falana (SAN), told the Court of Appeal that despite the admonition, they could not resolve the dispute"

As expected...

The lawyers for the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, on Thursday, told the Court of Appeal that both parties could not resolve the eight months old strike, despite the out-of-court settlement as advised by the Appellate Court.

The FG’s lawyer, James Igwe, and lead counsel for ASUU, Femi Falana (SAN), told the Court of Appeal that despite the admonition, they could not resolve the dispute.

The presiding judge, Justice Hamma Barka, thereafter, stepped down the matter for an hour to enable the counsel for ASUU, Falana, to file a reply to the counter affidavit deposed to by the FG in opposition to the hearing of the appeal.

At the resumption of the hearing, Falana said they had begun consultations which would continue at the end of the day’s proceedings. He suggested that their application challenging the ruling of the Industrial Court be heard by the three-man panel of the Appeal Court.

Both parties agreed that the court should hear the application, as there was no amicable resolution reached as advised by the court.

Also, The PUNCH reports that ASUU is set to sue the Federal Government over the registration of the Congress of Nigerian Universities Academics and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics.

Both parties agreed that the court should hear the application, as there was no amicable resolution reached as advised by the court.

Also, The PUNCH reports that ASUU is set to sue the Federal Government over the registration of the Congress of Nigerian Universities Academics and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics.

The Minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige had on Tuesday presented certificates of registration to CONUA and NAMDA.

Ngige, who spoke while presenting the certificate of registration to the two unions explained that the two bodies will exist along aside ASUU.

The PUNCH reports that ASUU has been on strike since February 14, 2022 as lecturers of public universities protest unpaid allowances and demand better welfare package from the Federal Government.

Speaking with Channels Television, the lead counsel to ASUU, Femi Falana, SAN noted that the union would sue the Federal Government over the registration of the two unions.

“ASUU is going to court. It is going to be the NIC,” ASUU’s lawyer, Femi Falana, told Channels Television on Thursday.

Confirming the development to our correspondent, ASUU’s president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke said,”He is our lawyer, we follow his legal advises.


https://punchng.com/strike-fg-ASUU-fail-to-reach-out-of-court-settlement/

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Nigeria!. There is no different between us the citizens and the leaders we accused. We tend to evade law at any slightest point when it doesn't favour us, count it as injustice but feels contented when it favours us, count it as justice.

Quite appalling though;

“ASUU is going to court. It is going to be the NIC,” ASUU’s lawyer, Femi Falana, told Channels Television on Thursday"

The same court that you guys refuse to obey. And if NIC rule the case to favour you, you also expect FG accept the court verdict.

"The President of ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, also confirmed the development in a chat with our correspondent on Thursday morning"

“He (Falana) is our lawyer. So, that is correct,” Osodeke said when asked to confirm the development"

The same union that you said were inconsequential. I said it before, the ASSU chairman statement was not from heart.

ASUU To Sue FG Over Registration Of Factional Academic Unions
Kayode Oyero
Updated October 6, 2022

The Academic Staff Union of Universities says it is approaching the National Industrial Court (NIC) over the Federal Government’s registration of the two factional unions.

“ASUU is going to court. It is going to be the NIC,” ASUU’s lawyer, Femi Falana, told Channels Television on Thursday.

The President of ASUU, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, also confirmed the development in a chat with our correspondent on Thursday morning.

“He (Falana) is our lawyer. So, that is correct,” Osodeke said when asked to confirm the development.

The Federal Government on Tuesday registered two factional academic unions – the Congress of Nigerian Universities Academics (CONUA) and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA).

The registration of the two factional unions took place as talks between ASUU and the government broke down amid the over seven-month strike by lecturers of public universities.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Tuesday, explained that the two bodies will exist alongside ASUU, adding that the two associations will enjoy the rights and privileges accorded to other academic unions in the tertiary education system.

However, Falani, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the registration of CONUA and NAMDA is illegal. He said according to the Trade Unions Act, only one union is allowed to operate in every sector.

“You can’t have two trade unions in the same sector. Only a union is allowed to be registered for all academics in Nigeria.

“That is the essence of the classification of trade unions because we used to have mushrooms in the First Republic so the government restructured the unions and grouped all academics together and all non-academics together. You can’t have two or three in one field,” he said.

Falana said there is a Supreme Court judgment on the proliferation of trade unions – the Erasmus Osawe V Registrar of Trade Unions.

The senior lawyer also said the apex court ruled “that your freedom of association is not totalled; it is also regulated by the Trade Unions Act so that there will be no proliferation of trade unions”.

ASUU has been on strike since February 14, 2022, over unpaid allowances, poor welfare, and payment software, among others.


https://www.channelstv.com/2022/10/06/ASUU-heads-to-court-over-fgs-registration-of-factional-academic-unions/

I don't know where this news is coming from because no other news outlet has carried this except this tribune.