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By Gabriel Dike
Alleged plan by the Federal Government to proscribe the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is generating uneasy calm among stakeholders in the education sector.
Aside the proscription, there are rumours that the Federal Government may accord recognition to splinter body, Congress of University Academics (CONUA) to dislodge ASUU in public universities. But ASUU officials told Daily Sun, yesterday, that they were not bothered about plan to outlaw the union.
ASUU Lagos Zone Coordinator, Adelaja Odukoya, said nothing was beyond a lawless government acting illegally, adding: “We have passed through that before. We shall overcome.”
Two former ASUU coordinators said the purported move would not yield any positive result but rather would make ASUU stronger and worsen the situation in public universities, noting the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, and his counterpart in Ministry of Education, Adamu Adamu, would end up creating more problems. On possible registration of CONUA to spite ASUU, Odukoya said: “Whatever Ngige like, let him do with CONUA. He is the godfather of these academic opportunists. It is a free world and our constitution allows for freedom of association.
‘’CONUA is no threat to ASUU. Even at Obafemi Awolowo University where they have their root, they have less than 25 per cent of academics as members. Other universities where they claimed they are rooted are nothing but fantasies, delusion and exercise in self-deception. Academics are no fools. They know and will choose the union that can defend their interest.
“Why did you think University of Ilorin, the progenitor of the CONUA model returned to ASUU? CONUA is an unnecessary diversion just like the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) and Adamu’s ‘no work no pay’.
“The prosecution of our principled struggle for the soul of the nation’s universities is our focus and, to that, we are unapologetically committed. Ngige, Adamu and President Muhammadu Buhari will soon become history and we shall triumph.’’
National Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Hassan Taiwo, considered the ban threat as hypocritical, petty, unreasonable, and ill-thought out measure that would only prolong and worsen the state of industrial disharmony and discord within the public university system.
“Firstly, it is hypocritical and unreasonable because it amounts to sidestepping the legitimate concerns of ASUU, especially its recent accusation that government violated the principles of collective bargaining by rejecting the recommendation of Nimi Briggs’ committee which it had initially set up to renegotiate the 2009 agreement.
“Secondly, this threat amounts to an attempt to browbeat ASUU into submission and into accepting an offer from the government that is neither proper nor satisfactory as far as the welfare of union members is concerned.
“The truth is that the Buhari government has not, for once, negotiated in good faith all through its engagements with ASUU and other university-based unions. All through this round of strike that began on February 14, 2022, the Buhari government has lied through its teeth, refused to own up to its responsibility for the disharmony in the university system, and has not shown any sincerity of purpose that would make ASUU and Nigerians at large to trust it.
‘’While SSANU and NASU may have reportedly suspended their strike, we need no soothsayer to tell us that they will soon be back to the barricade due to the habitual refusal of the government to stay loyal to agreements. This is why ASUU’s refusal to be browbeaten to accept to an unsatisfactory offer has to be defended by the entirety of the labour movement and well-meaning Nigerians as a whole.’’
Taiwo enjoined Nigerians to implore the Federal Government not to take the belligerent course of action but if it insists, then it should be prepared for a long and serious resistance.
Deputy National President, Joint Action Committee (JAF), Achike Achude, said it was no longer an insinuation or a suspicion that government has been trying to set up a rival fraction of university of lecturers to destabilised ASUU.
According to him, ASUU, over the years, has shown uncommon resilience and commitment to the struggle to build a better university system, a more functioning university system and to improve on the quality of education. He said: “The reality is that, if not for some of these strikes that ASUU has reluctantly embarked upon from time to time, the state of education would have been in a terrible state. I’m talking of the tertiary institution.”
