Fresh probe bid splits UNIABUJA, ASUU

THE demand by the national body of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on President Goodluck Jonathan to institute a fresh probe into the activities of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), has caused further division among its teaching staff as a splinter group of the union has dissociated itself from the demand.

The group, which calls itself   Integrity ASUU at the end of its congress at the weekend, resolved to amongst others distance themselves from the unconditional demand letter purportedly written to the President by the branch chapter of the union demanding him to constitute a special visitation panel to the university or face a fresh round of strike.

The action of the branch chapter of ASUU was in compliance with the resolutions of the Pre-NDC National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the ASUU, which took place on May 31, where the UNIABUJA branch was directed to formally write to the President, who is the visitor to the university, requesting a special visitation panel and outlining reasons for the request.

The resolution also warned that if there was no response to the request three weeks from the date of receipt of the letter, the branch was granted permission to embark on a total and indefinite strike, upon clearing with the national secretariat.

The splinter group, in a statement made available to The Guardian, by its Chairman, Dr. Mohammed Damagun and Secretary, Dr. Peter Bayeri Maidoki, yesterday, said that the resolution was tantamount to a breach of the autonomy of institution’s principle, which restricts the Presidency and other agencies from interfering in the internal administration of universities. ASUU struggled for several years to get government to sign the agreement on autonomy.