ASUU strike no longer trade dispute – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has said the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), since July 1 over the non Implementation of a 2009 agreement with the federal government was no longer trade dispute but subversive action.

President Jonathan stated this at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state caucus meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa, presided over by the State party Chairman, Col Samuel Inokoba (rtd).

The President was reacting to a plea by the former governor of the state, Dipreye Alamieyesigha, on the December 4th deadline given to ASUU to call off the strike or be sacked.

Alamieyesigha noted that the same date was fixed for the burial of late Professor Festus Iyayi, who died in an accident in Kogi State on November 12th, enroute Kano for the National Executive Council (NEC), meant to deliberate on the latest government’s offer after meeting with President Jonathan on November 4th to the wee hours of November 5th.

The former governor who is also the Chairman of Elders Advisory Forum in the state, urged the President to reconsider the date in order not to be seen as insensitive, though the action of ASUU was worrisome.

President Jonathan said despite holding the longest meeting in his political career with all the highest officers in his administration present including the Vice President, Minister of Finance, Minister of Labour, Minister of Justice, the Secretary to the Government and the delegation from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), ASUU did not deem it fit to reconsider their stance.

Jonathan said, “What ASUU is doing is no longer trade union. I have intervened in other labour issues before now, once I invite them they respond and after the meeting they take decision and call off the strike. At times we don’t even give them a long notice unlike in the case of ASUU that were given four days notice before the meeting.

As you are meeting to resolve trade disputes, you expect the trade unions to get their officials ready, what was expected having met with the highest authority in the land for long hours, was for ASUU to immediately issue statement within 12 or latest 24 hours to state their position whether they were accepting government’s offer or not. And if they are not accepting they state the reason why.

“But despite the fact that I had the longest meeting with ASUU in my political history, we did not start that meeting until around 2 p.m. and the meeting ended the next day in the early hours of the morning. As far as the government of Nigeria was concern all the critical people that should be in a meeting were there, so what else do they want?

“After that they didn’t meet until one week, despite the fact that you met with the highest authority. It was unfortunate one of them, Prof. Iyayi died.

“The way ASUU has conducted the matter shows they were extreme and when Iyayi died they now said the strike was now indefinite, our children have been at home for over five months.

“We didn’t give them ultimatum it was the Committee of Vice Chancellors that took that decision, the supervising minister of education only passed on the decision. What ASUU is doing is no longer trade dispute but subversive action.

“But like you rightly noted so that we will not be perceived to be insensitive, we will consult on the deadline.”

The Federal Government had on Thursday given ASUU one week ultimatum to call off strike or consider themselves sacked”.

President Jonathan had also used the occasion to thank the Bayelsa people for their prayers and support while ill in London and hospitalised for five days.

He also used the occasion to hammer on the need for stakeholders to be united, stressing that the key to political success was the unity of the people and that divided people bring about a lot of issues.

He further noted most of the states where PDP lost elections was as a result of division within the party. “Any state the PDP is united, it will win elections. I thank you for the unity in the state”.

The President expressed happiness that the state was no longer experiencing division among party stakeholders as was the order of the day before the coming of joystickson.

Jonathan said, “I’m happy that the division in other states PDP is not here. The unity is not automatic because as vice president I knew what I passed through.

“This is the first time this dichotomy among Abuja politicians and stakeholders in the state has been removed, and I’m grateful and I am happy the governor is leading it. I’m glad that that deadly virus has been killed.

“I’m against imposition though I am a leader of the party, but I believe I need to negotiate and consult for any appointment.

“If you disconnect from the grassroot then you are gone as a politician and I thank you (the governor) for making this happen”.

The President also commended joystickson for the physical development and the unity brought into the polity of the state. “Before now militancy and cultism was the order of the day, Bayelsa was not safe but with joystickson coming on board, that is no longer happening. Bayelsa was so unsafe that the small hotels were abandoned, this peace and unity is very important to me.

“Any former governor who does not want his successor to surpass him must be a witch. Spending the night in a local government in what you call a thank-you-tour will challenge the local government chairmen to develop the area to accommodate dignitaries. They will note that our local government headquarters are mini cities that must be developed”, he said.

In his remarks, joystickson commended President Jonathan’s deep interest in the state caucus and making out time despite his tight schedule to be part of it, where issues affecting the party are discussed and solutions found.

He said the message from the thank you tour is that of support, solidarity for the party, President Jonathan and with those who believe in what is right and what is fair.

He also noted that the President was no longer contending with needless distraction from his own state, adding “those days are gone and gone for goods”.
He called for more understanding, solidarity “in view of the times we are in. I urge stakeholders to be supporters and not detractors. Be supporters in your actions and your words.

“We know the plans of our detractors, anybody who is not a friend to our president is not a friend to us”, he said.

The caucus moved motion that they were very proud of their leader the President and urge him to carry on no matter the distractions. They commended him for remaining undaunted and doing things never done before in the history of Nigeria in terms of development. “We support him and will continue to do so, the first South South president is doing well, and we hope other parts will do same so that he will continue to support him”.

The party chairman Inokoba, had described the G7 governors as the voices of anarchy who are out to destroy what the nation’s founding fathers started, expressing happiness that such elements were squashed in Bayelsa State before they reared their ugly head.
He urged all stakeholders in the state to continue to support the president as he faces the daunting task of ruling the country as well as the governor.

Alamieyesigha described PDP defection to an opposition party as “a national embarrassment and time has come for national party to take action to nip future occurrence in the board”.

Others present at the meeting were the Deputy Governor John Jonah, members of National Assembly from the State, members of state assembly, members of State Executive of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Deputy National Chairman.

No Time: Mimiko begins recruitment in AAUA to replace striking lecturers

The academic war between Management of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko [AAUA] in Ondo State and its striking lecturers has deepened following a report that the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Femi Mimiko has commenced recruitment of new lecturers to replace the striking lecturers, having refused to pull out of the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities’ [ASUU] strike.
DailyPost has gathered that Prof. Mimiko remains resolute about his decision to re-open the university on December 2, after he had ordered the students to resume this Monday for the commencement of the second term semester programme.
But the Chairman of ASUU in the institution, Dr. Busuyi Mekusi has described the move by the management as illegal.
He has vowed that the union would resist any action by the Vice-Chancellor to illegally recruit new workers to replace the striking lecturers.

NASU Reacts, plans solidarity strike!

Non academic employees in the universities are warming up for industrial action as a fall out of the resolution of the ASUU strike.

They took the decision during the delegates conference in Owerri under the banner of the Non Academic Staff Union ((NASU). The communique was signed by Deputy President/Chairman of the Universities Trade Group, Comrade Sunday Adeyemi and the Deputy General Secretary, Comrade F.J Ajayi.

The union said it would go on strike the moment a negative action is directed at its members outside the original agreement reached in the 2009 Federal Government NASU agreement.

NASU also expressed worry that its 2009 agreement with the Federal Government was due for review since June, 2012, noting that the non-implementation of the full content of the FG/University based Union 2009 agreement is a political strategy aimed at mitigating early review of the agreement.

The Union urged President Goodluck Jonathan to put necessary machinery in motion to commence the upward review of the agreement within the next three months.

The Council in session also warned the Federal Government not to create more crisis it cannot manage in the process of resolving the ASUU strike, adding that some of its members, including NAAT and SSANU who were formerly members of the Interim Monitoring Committee set up by the Federal Government in October 23, 2013 to confirm the initial payment made to the Universities by the Federal Government, have been excluded.

The Union also sympathised with the family of the late Professor Festus Iyayi who it noted had been in the struggle for a positive change in the nation’s education.

UNIZIK SUG President, Comrade Hillary Ugwu Speaks on VC’s Resumption Order

Dear Students and Fans,

His Excellency, Comrade Hillary Ugwu the SUG PRESIDENT in reaction to Monday’s resumption, said;

“The decision by the university management to reopen for the 2013/2014 academic session was predicated on the directive of the federal government to all universities particularly federal universities to reopen academic activities on or before 4th December 2013.

It should be noted therefore that the The University Management is only complying with the Federal Government’s directives.”

What do you have to say about this reaction from the SUG President?

To us it creates some doubt whether lectures will actually commence as stated by the Vice Chancellor. This is because the Vice Chancellor cannot force lecturers back to the classrooms.

Kindly note that the above reaction from the SUG President was published by the Office of the SUG PRO.

“President Is Human”: Why Jonathan Decided To “Come Down Hard On ASUU”

Leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday moved from Abuja to their respective campuses expecting crackdown, as the Federal Government has issued several threats.

President Goodluck Jonathan might no longer be directly involved in negotiation with the lecturers: he is angry for the ASUU leaders’ contempt for the office of the President, their decision to issue new conditions and theim being allegedly backed by some external forces.

After spending almost a week in Abuja in hopes of resuming talks, the ASUU leaders were eventually left with no other option but to go back to their campuses.

A top leader of ASUU said on conditions of anonymity: “Our leaders have returned to their campuses. They were disappointed with the Area Boy or Agbero method adopted by the Minister.

“The military style of the Minister of State for Education will only compound the situation.

“So, we are back to our trenches as it was the situation during the military era. We are ready for the worst now. If the situation becomes uncontrollable, we will also go underground and resort to guerilla tactics.”

Meanwhile, a source within the Federal Government said: “We hope that they will not overreach their bounds, because what they have done in the last four months amounted to economic sabotage.

“If they continue to take the law into their hands by paralysing activities in the universities, we may try them for economic sabotage. This is also the extreme end the government may go too.

“Let them study the enabling laws to see what they have been violating. We are not yet disposed to wielding the big stick, but if the government is pushed to the wall, it will invoke relevant laws to manage the situation. We are waiting for what they will do.”

A different source added: “”ll the security agencies have been directed to protect lives and property on all the campuses nationwide, especially in the universities that have reopened.

“Union leaders are also under watch to prevent recourse to self-help, which may lead to wanton destruction of property.

“The government will not tolerate any intimidation or harassment, and any violent union leader risks being arrested. But those who restrict themselves to the confines of the law have nothing to fear.”

On Jonathan’s position, a government source said: “We are trying to insulate the Office of the President from further negotiation with ASUU if at all the union will allow such or there will be room for such.

“We think relevant ministers and the Committee of Pro-Chancellors/Vice-Chancellors should be able to handle the rest of the talks/negotiation.”

According to investigation, the December 4, 2013 ultimatum given by the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, followed the directive of the Presidency.

The government source added: “The President is angry because he over-indulged ASUU leaders. It is only in Nigeria you see the President sitting for 13 hours with union leaders on any issue and at the end of the day, there will be no courtesy from the union.

“While the President was expecting feedback from ASUU leaders within 72 hours, they kept him in suspense for two weeks or more.

“And instead of feedback on where the talks stopped, ASUU leaders came up with fresh conditions when even during the negotiation, they admitted that some of the clauses in 2009 agreement cannot be implemented.

“The President is human. He now has every cause to believe that the strike action seems to have the backing of external forces seeking to bring his administration down. That was why he decided to come down hard on ASUU, too.”

Source: The Nation Newspaper.

UNN, ESUT announce resumption date Dec. 2

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), said their academic activities would resume on Monday, Dec. 2.

They made the announcement in separate statements issued in Nsukka and Enugu on Saturday.
The Registrar of the UNN, Mr Anthony Okonta, in the statement, stressed that “normal academic activities would resume immediately.’’

The statement directed students who had outstanding examinations for the 2012/2013 session to report to their respective faculties and departments in Nsukka and Enugu campuses.

The ESUT Registrar, Mr Chris Igbokwe, also advised students and academic and non- academic staff to report to the institution on Dec. 2.

According to the statement, students are advised to return to their campuses at Agbani and Enugu campuses as the second semester examination would commence on Monday, Dec. 9.

The Federal Government had on Thursday, directed all federal universities to resume work on or before Dec. 4.

The statement, issued by the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr Nyesom Wike, directed the striking members of ASUU, to resume work on or before Dec 4 or consider themselves sacked.

ASUU, UNN Chapter Refuse To Yield To FG’s Directives, Calls Edu. Minister a Tout

Information reaching us said that ASUU, University of Nigeria Nsukka chapter, on Friday said its members would not resume work until the controversial 2009 demands are met.

In anger, some ASUU members also described the Minister of Education, Wike, as a “tout”.

The union, however, told Saturday PUNCH that it won’t react officially to Wike’s order until President Goodluck Jonathan speaks.
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“We have not heard from the President, so we cannot speak officially on the matter. It would be senseless to begin to react to a statement from Wike since he is a tout,” said Dr. Ifeanyi Abada, Chairman of UNN-ASUU.

Abada said that Wike’s order cannot hold and vowed that ASUU would unleash terror if the minister attempts to carry out the order.

“We stopped the late General Sani Abacha, so stopping Wike and these bloody civilians won’t be any problem to us,” Abada vowed.

We are watching…!

Breaking News: Unizik V.C order NAU to re-open on Monday Dec. 2nd!

In line with the directive of the Federal Government that all schools be re-opened before the 4th of December, 2013, tThe Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Prof. Boniface C. Egboka, has informed the SUG through a phone call that the university gate shall be opened for lectures as from Monday 2nd December, 2013.

This was made known by the SUG PRO Comrade Ezenwa Obiora. In his comment, the PRO said that the school is yet to send an official memo towards that.

For the time being, we are yet to receive the reaction from ASUU UNIZIK chapter over the Vice Chancellor’s Directive.

Stay tuned.

Breaking News: ASUP, Mapoly chapter suspends strike!

Academic activities at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta have resumed following the resumption to work of the members of the Institution’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics in Nigeria (ASUP).

The strike action, which was embarked upon by the Union to press home its demands was suspended on Friday, November 29, 2013, following the decision of the Union’s congress after a review of activities since the commencement of the strike.

The Ogun State Government, through the Institution’s Management had earlier granted some of the requests of the staff union by concluding the promotion and appointment of affected staff members.Meanwhile, all Full-Time and Part-Time.

National Diploma and Higher National Diploma students are advised to resume immediately, as the 2nd semester 2012/2013 examination will commence immediately.

Parents, Guardians and in particular, students are enjoined to visit the Polytechnic’s website on http://www.mapoly.edu.ng or the Polytechnic’s Twitter handle @ MAPOLYinfo for further details.

A Male Graduate Forges Gov’s Letter-Head Paper

The State Security Services (SSS) said on Friday in Lafia that it had arrested a university graduate (names withheld) for allegedly forging the official letter-head paper of the Nasarawa State Governor’s Office.

Mr Ngobiowei Awoikiega, the Assistant Director (Security) of the service in the state, said that the suspect was a graduate of Business Administration from the Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

He said the suspect was arrested in Akwanga, headquarters of Akwanga Local Government Area of the state by operatives of the service following a tip-off.

Awoikiega alleged that the suspect used the forged letter-head paper and subsequently forged the signature of the Secretary to the State Government, Zainab Abdulmumin, to introduce himself and one other person whose name could not be disclosed with the intent of gaining employment at the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi.

According to him, the suspect has made useful statements on the alleged offence.

“Unknown to officials of the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, the management honoured the letter printed on the fake letter-headed paper from the Governor’s Office by offering a provisional employment to his (suspect’s) client.”

Ngobiowei advised the general public to avoid falling victims of the activities of persons with fraudulent intentions.

Fielding questions from journalists, the suspect admitted committing the offence, saying that he did it because he could not secure employment since 2009 after his graduation from the university. (NAN)