UNIABUJA ASUU Divided Over Strike

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) branch are not on the same page over the indefinite strike announced by the union.
As soon as the strike was declared yesterday, lecturers under the “Anti-strike ASUU Members” dissociated themselves.

The union had embarked on an indefinite strike in the early hours of yesterday.
However, addressing a press conference immediately after the strike declaration by the ASUU, University of Abuja chapter yesterday, the Anti-strike ASUU members said they won’t be part of it.
The dean and former convener of ASUU National Political Committee, Dr. Abubakar Kari, and the ex-Nigerian ambassador to Japan and head of department (HOD), Agriculture Engineering, Prof. M. Y. Gana, said the cabal dictating to Dr. Sylvanus-led local ASUU, desperately wanted a strike to satisfy their interest but never the larger interest of ASUU members and the University of Abuja.

Kari said, “Members of ASUU here, standing for several other members with like minds but unavoidably absent rise to reassure students, parents, and members of the public that we will protect the sanctity of the University of Abuja robust academic calendar and continue to work for continuous opening of the university operations.

“We vehemently demand that ASUU must work for ASUU and not a hidden cabal who are out to take the university back to the inglorious pasts. A decision to go on an indefinite strike without at any point seeking members of ASUU’s vote for, or against is not the ASUU procedure for calling a strike.

“So, the so-called strike remains unrepresentative of the larger members of ASUU and cannot stand,” he said.

On the alleged advertorial for the about-to-be vacant position of vice chancellor, the members said, for now, five federal universities have advertised for the position of vice chancellor.

“The question begging the mind of everyone, staff, and the public is why would ASUU, University of Abuja chapter alone, proceed on indefinite strike when University of Maiduguri, Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, ATBU Bauchi and others sustain the sanctity of stable academic calendar on their campuses?

“We say no to strike over issues that are not peculiar to the University of Abuja!”
The branch chairman, Dr Sylvanus Ugoh, told LEADERSHIP Friday in an interview that the union had resolved to embark on an indefinite strike with immediate effect.

He said the strike became necessary, given the university’s refusal to conduct elections for the offices of the deans of faculties and provost, College of Health Sciences.

The union also accused the University of carrying out the promotion of some staff without following due process.

Other reasons for the strike, according to the union include the “advertorial of the vacancy of the post of vice chancellor without following due process.”