By Felix Khanoba
A faction of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja (UniAbuja) chapter, has distanced its members from the ongoing strike in the institution.
Recall that another faction of ASUU had embarked on indefinite strike in the early hours of Thursday.
But addressing a press conference immediately after the declaration of the industrial action on Thursday, the anti-strike lecturers said they would not take part in the strike.
The dean and former convener, ASUU national political committee, Dr. Abubakar Kari and the ex-Nigeria Ambassador to Japan and HOD, Agric Engineering, University of Abuja, Prof. M. Y. Gana, addressed the conference on behalf of the group.
They said the cabal dictating to Dr. Sylvanus led local ASUU, desperately wanted a strike to satisfy their personal interest but never the larger interest of ASUU members and the university of Abuja.
According to them, “Members of ASUU here, standing for several other members with like minds but unavoidably absent rise to reassure students, parents and members of the public that we will protect the sanctity of the University of Abuja robust academic calendar and continue to work for continuous opening of the university operations.
“We vehemently demand that ASUU must work for ASUU and not a hidden cabal out to take the university of Abuja back to the inglorious yesteryears. A decision to go on an indefinite strike without at any point, seeking members of ASUU’s vote for, or against is absolutely not the ASUU procedure for calling strike.
“So, the so-called strike remains unrepresentative of the larger members of ASUU and cannot stand.”
Speaking on the alleged advertorial for the about-to-be vacant position of the Vice chancellor, the members said so far, five Federal universities have advertised for the position of Vice Chancellor and none of the five varsities.
“The question begging the mind of everyone, staff and the public is why would ASUU, university of Abuja alone, proceed on indefinite strike when university of Maiduguri, Usman Dan fodiyo University, Sokoto, ATBU Bauchi and others sustain the sanctity of stable academic calendar on their campuses?
“We say no to strike over issues that are not peculiar to the University of Abuja!”
