LAGOS – Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, the immediate past President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and other academics on Tuesday urged politicians to guard their utterances, to avoid heating up the polity.
The academics spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos while reacting to the exit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Awuzie, who is also the Vice-Chancellor, Imo State University, Owerri, said though Obasanjo had the fundamental right to join or leave any association, the manner such actions were taken could be disturbing.
He underscored the importance for Nigerians to conduct themselves properly at all times, and to be mindful of their statements in the interest of the country.
“The right to join an association and leave at whatever time is a fundamental right of any individual.
“One would have expected him to quietly leave or resign his membership in a most honourable way.
“It would not have created the kind of row it is creating presently.
“Going as far as tearing his membership card openly in such a manner was not really befitting of the
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elder statesman which he claimed he wanted to be,” he said.
The don said Obasanjo must realise that PDP, the party he just left, gave him the platform on which he served as the President of the country for eight years.
Awuzie said though Obasanjo had his style of doing things, there was equally the need to put the country into consideration, to avoid anything that could trigger confusion.
Dr Samuel Ugo, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, described the action as part of the drama that characterised the forthcoming general elections.
Ugo said that rather than quit the way he did, Obasanjo would have shown a better form of leadership model.
“No one is saying he should not quit the party if he feels he is tired of it.
“But there is also the need for him to have shown the quality of a statesman by doing it in a way that would not trigger any ill feelings,” Ugo said.
Prof. Yomi Akinyeyi of the Faculty of Arts, University of Lagos, simply described the development as not too good for the party, especially with the forthcoming elections around the corner.
Akinyeyi said that such action was a bad publicity to the party, adding that Nigerians must strive to let peace reign, in the interest of the country. (NAN)