Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) must not comply with the Federal Government’s order to resume work by 4th December 2013 and they must not to sign any register that may be opened by their vice chancellors, the union said at the weekend.
Before leaving Abuja on Friday, leaders of the union directed all branch chairmen to explore ways of privately mobilising their members against yielding to the Federal Government’s “empty” threats.
The union also resolved that the chairmen should not to hold any public congress for now to avoid clashes with armed policemen or soldiers deployed to all institutions for the implementation of the ultimatum.
“We resolved not to hold any open congress now that our campuses are militarised but we will ensure that our people are adequately informed”, an ASUU official said, adding that the next NEC meeting would not be made public.
Meanwhile, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe has accused the union of desperation to undermine and subvert the Presidency.
Speaking at a media briefing on Sunday, Okupe slammed ASUU for the rigidity and insensitivity of its leaders, despite government commitment to resolving the industrial action.
“The negative disposition of the ASUU leadership is unarguably a pre-conceived and calculated treacherous plot pointedly intended to undermine the Presidency and subvert the Federal Government of Nigeria”, he said.
“This is clearly a hallmark of a leadership that is determined to employ subterfuge in an attempt to hold government, students and their parents and other stakeholders to ransom in a reckless and irresponsible display of insensitivity, lawlessness and absolute lack of patriotism and even the fear of God.
“Unfortunately, all this is perpetuated using unsuspecting but otherwise loyal, patriotic and responsible members of ASUU whose families are also sad victims of this reprehensible and callous attitude of their leadership.
“From all indications therefore and other information available to government, it has become obvious that this is no longer an altruistic strike borne out of good intentions and aimed at improving the welfare of students and staff of the universities and the standard of our educational institutions. Rather, it is an evil programme motivated by selfish political interests and motivations within the polity”.
According to Okupe, despite that the government has made many concessions to ASUU, all the union has done is to push the government to the wall.
“Given the fact that government had reached agreement with ASUU to make available N100bn for the provision of infrastructure on campuses of 61 universities covered in the needs assessment of universities, with a further commitment of another N200 billion over the next two years, and N40 billion of the N90 billion Earned Allowances demanded by the lecturers one would have expected them to reconsider their stand.
“This was despite the fact that the ASUU leadership in the meeting with President Jonathan failed curiously to articulate the basis of the calculation of the demanded N90 billion earned allowance, which has been on the table since 2009.
“It becomes crystal clear therefore that the Federal Government has shown good faith and commendable commitment by acceding to most of the demands of ASUU. This ordinarily ought to be a thing of pride and an outstanding achievement to the ASUU having been able to secure these unprecedented concessions as a direct benefit of the prolonged and painful five month strike.
“Given this dangerous and invidious tendency no right thinking government sworn to protect the welfare of its citizens will fold its arms and watch the situation deteriorate any further. History has shown that when governments worldwide are pushed to the wall, they take whatever lawful steps that are necessary to protect the interests of its people and the state over which they govern.
“This is why we make bold to state that there is absolutely nothing dictatorial, draconian or undemocratic in the order by the Federal Government for striking lecturers to return to work or face dismissal.
“You may wish to recall that on the 5th of August 1981, Ronald Reagan then American President sacked 11, 345 air traffic controllers after a two-day strike. Reagan took the decision after the striking workers turned down an 11 percent wage increase he had offered them”.
However, in a separate statement, Senate President, David Mark urged the lecturers to rescind their stance on the strike and return to classes to prevent further deterioration of the same sector they intend to sanitise.
Speaking through a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh during the commissioning of a lecture theatre for the School of Management Sciences at the Kano State Polytechnic, built and donated by Senator Kabiru Gaya, he equally implored the Federal Government to employ a more democratic approach to ending the industrial action.
“We have reached a situation where hardline positions would worsen the situation. My plea to ASUU is to resume classes while negotiation continues”, Mark said.
“The strike has done enough damage to our universities. They have also made their point and I think we should reason together and end this matter. Nobody, including the university teachers themselves can be said to be enjoying this crisis.
“It is a huge cost on government, parents, the management, staff and students of the universities. Nigerians agree that the situation is bad. ASUU over the years has enjoyed the sympathy of Nigerians. I am afraid if they remain adamant on this, they would lose the sympathy and support of the people”.
