Abuja – Students’ unions of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) from destabilising the institution.
The appeal was conveyed in a petition signed by eight different unions, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
The petition said that ASUU was using “academic imperialism and interference in a bid to blackmail the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Hilary Edeoga, out of service and clear the way for their preferred candidate.’’
The unions that signed the petition and their signees were Uchendu Kinsley, President, Postgraduate Students’ Association, Obiajulu Benedict, President, Students’ Union Government (SUG), and Magnus Nwankpa, President, Continuing Education Centre.
Others were Uchechukwu Abraham, Joint Campus Christian Fellowship, O. Gerald, President, National Association of Catholic Students, Adiele Vivian, ECWA Students’ Fellowship, Franklin Okereke and Living Word campus Fellowship.
More signatories were Adeoye Adekunle, Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, Njoku Temple, Director of Transport, SUG, and Adiele Chibuike, Chairman, Transport Committee, SUG.
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“We are making the appeal to Mr President to prevent a breakdown of law and order in tertiary institutions in the South-Eastern zone as students in the zone stand ready to carry out protests over the interference of ASUU.
“ASUU is using as excuse, the tissues of misinformation being dished out by its member suspended for exam malpractice, sexual harassment of our female members, sale of handouts, academic dishonesty and corruption.
“The fact of the matter is that Edeoga is ending his tenure on a high note of great performance with the support and facilitation of the governing council led by Prof. Anya O. Anya; Edeoga’s tenure ends on Feb. 28, 2016.
“Edeoga’s sterling performance is endorsed and affirmed by all students and 99 per cent of lecturers.’’
The petition said that only one per cent of lecturers belonged to the camp of the former MOUAU’s ASUU Chairman, who was suspended by the university Senate for malpractice, corruption and sexual harassment, among others.
It said that instead of supporting the ongoing effort to tackle corruption, ASUU queried Edeoga for his “audacity to disgrace an ASUU official”.
According to the petition, ASUU members in MOUAU have long withdrawn their membership of the association.
The petition dismissed the allegation of victimisation of students and other irregularities levelled against Edeoga by ASUU, adding that he was a student-friendly vice-chancellor.
“He built a state-of-the-art self-contained hostels for students, introduced free intra-campus taxis and bus services, eradicated campus cultism, improved discipline and decency, improved power and water supply.
“Most importantly, he improved students/staff/host community relationship,’’ it said.
The petition urged Buhari to call ASUU to order as their actions posed a threat to peace and security in tertiary institutions, as it had been hijacked for vendetta.
NAN recalls that various branches of ASUU recently called for Buhari’s intervention in what they termed abuse of office by Edeoga.
NAN also recalls that the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, on Thursday inaugurated ad hoc committees to investigate allegations of irregularities in seven universities, including MOUAU. (NAN)