The Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Owerri zone, Prof Ike Odimegwu, stated this at a press conference in Awka, Anambra State.
ASUU Owerri Zone comprises Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; Imo State University, Owerri; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Odimegwu said the governor’s action was capable of destroying the Nigerian University Education ridiculing her certificates in the global community.
Odimegwu said, “This arrogant display of power and abuse of office by Mr. Yahaya Bello speaks volume about the extent to which some political office holders could go to crush perceived opposition in their bid to emasculate and enslave Nigerians so as to fulfil their ambition towards destroying the public education system.
He added that “After the sack of the over 150 seasoned lecturers, Mr. Yahaya Bello resorted to the recruitment of unqualified individuals such as laboratory attendants, members of the National Youth Service Corps, NCE holders and even undergraduate students to replace them.
“These actions of Mr. Yahaya Bello amount to gross violation of International Labour Law, the Constitution of Nigeria and all known best practices in the university system”.
Describing the crisis in Kogi State University as a recurring incident, Odimegwu alleged that it was caused by inadequate funding and erosion of university autonomy and academic standards by the State Government.
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He said,”In July 2017, the Visitor to Kogi State University, Anyigba, the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello announced the proscription of all ASUU activities in the University. This was followed with the sacking of over 150 academic staff of the University who were on a lawful struggle to press for the payment of the backlog of their salary running into several months.
“These lawless actions are clear manifestations of arrogance and a very high level of ignorance on the side of Mr. Yahaya Bello vis-a-vis the limits of his power as the State Governor and failure of appreciation of the essence of a University.
He accused the governor of humiliating ASUU members, unwarranted termination of appointments, the use of students to threaten the life of ASUU members and destruction of their property.
He said those were clear indications of the deplorable state of affairs and mismanagement of the State-owned universities by Administrators and Visitors.
The Union also accused the Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University of victimization of ASUU members in the university for no just cause, calling on the Lagos State Governor, Akiwumi Ambode, to intervene and save the university from impunity and dictatorship.
His statement read partly,” ASUU as a Union of intellectuals stands and In the course of our struggles for just and equitable society, our members have been subjected several times to various forms of victimization.
“This is the current situation in LASU. Our Union had only requested the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lanre Adigun Fagbohun, to constitute a functional Budget Monitoring Committee (BMC) in line with the Guidelines for Accessing Needs Assessment Intervention Fund of the Federal Government”.
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