The Academic Staff Union of Universities has condemned what it described as the recurring persecution and victimisation of its members by state governors in the country.
Addressing a press conference in Jos on Tuesday, ASUU chairman, University of Jos, Prof. Jurbe Molwus, noted that the continued victimisation of its members, particularly in Kogi, Ebonyi, Lagos, Anambra, Imo states by the governors who are visitors to their state universities, have caused the death of several of their members in the affected institutions and left many of the institutions in shambles.
The union urged the governors to stop the maltreatment and follow the path of honour by restoring sanity in the affected institutions, including recalling ASUU members who were unjustly sacked.
The ASUU chairman said, “The National Executive Council (NEC) of our union, at its meeting that took place at the University of Ibadan on the 17th and 18th of August 2024, resolved, among other things, to mark the 10th of September 2024 as a national day of solidarity with our members who are being victimised in some universities.
“These universities include but are not limited to the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojoo; Kogi State University (KSU), Anyingba; Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki; Ambrose Ali University (AAU), Ekpoma; Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO); and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam.
“In all of the universities mentioned, our members have suffered and continue suffering untold hardship. This is unacceptable.
“We note with concern that there seems to be some form of collaboration with the judiciary to prolong the suffering of our members in some of these universities. We hereby appeal to the judiciary to expedite their process and serve justice to our members. Is justice delayed, not justice denied? Now that some of our victimised members have died while fighting the injustice perpetrated against them, who will plead their case?
” It is in light of the forgoing that the University of Jos branch of ASUU is addressing you today with a view to drawing the attention of all critical stakeholders to the avoidable, unjustifiable, and excruciating hardship being meted on our colleagues.
“Our union is worried that the respective visitors and administrators of these universities have continued to victimise our members through illegal actions including termination of appointment, suspension, withholding of salaries, denial, and delay of promotion, non-remittance of union dues, and other third party deductions among others.”
The ASUU chairman noted that at Lagos State University, Ojo, there had been a running battle against the union, which manifested in the victimisation of some union leaders at the University.
He lamented that despite submitting the visitation panel report more than two years ago, the Lagos State Government has refused to release and implement the white paper.
“We hereby call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to immediately recall our unjustly sacked colleagues. Failing which will lead to the continuous enforcement of the sanction on LASU by the NEC of our union.
In the case of the Kogi State University, Anyingba, the union leader, noted that ASUU in the institution has had a long history of struggles primarily aimed at improving the academic standard and physical infrastructure of the University as well as the welfare of their members.
“Sadly, due to the unpatriotic actions of the State Government and University administration, Kogi State University Anyigba is today a shadow of its old self, having fallen short of the dreams of its founding fathers. Let justice prevail. Let the persecution of KSU 120 end. Let there be restoration. No allegation of any infringements has been levied against our members, yet they are being punished. We hereby call on the Kogi state governor to take the path of honour and do what is needed.
“For the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, there is a visible lack of infrastructure, erosion of the University autonomy by some political interests, and our members are being victimised for speaking the truth to power by demanding that the owners and administrators of the University should live up to expectations. This has led to the unjustifiable suspension of the Chairperson of our Union and his predecessor. We demand their immediate recall.
“In Ambrose Ali University (AAU), Ekpoma: At AAU, there has also been a running battle between the State Government/University administration against our Union leading to the seizure of salaries, non-remittance of third party deductions when salaries are paid, and the autocratic running of the University using a Special Intervention Team (SIT) which is alien to the University laws. We hope that the recently constituted Governing Council will run the University in line with the extant laws and settle all issues, including the backlog of salaries owed to our members.
“In the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), the Vice Chancellor and her collaborators have continued to unjustly punish our faithful members at the branch because of their patriotic stands against the illegal appointment/promotion of Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami to the rank of a Professor.
“We demand the reversal of the illegal actions of the Vice Chancellor against our members in the branch. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam: At COOU, the university administration locked up the secretariat of our union and prevented our members from holding meetings. The salaries of our faithful members have also been withheld for up to a year, with some of our members being suspended mainly due to their opposition to the violation of academic standards by the University administration.
Molwus, who commended the courage and determination of their members in the affected universities, insisted that ASUU would continue to declare undiluted solidarity with them until the issues are resolved.
