Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma Chapter on Thursday protested the suspension of its executive members.

The lecturers took the decision to protest at an enlarged meeting of the Union after reviewing activities of the leadership of the institution.

The protest was led by Dr Monday Igbafen and Dr A. Aizebioje-Coker, the Chairman and Secretary of ASUU, AAU who were allegedly suspended for trumped up charges.

Addressing journalists, Dr Igbafen said circumstances that led to their suspension by the Professor Ignatius Onimawo management were fabricated.

“The Vice Chancellor has been making unsubstantiated claims about us. He earlier accused me of sexual harassment and he failed and we told the whole world then that it is not the chairman that he wanted but he was after the soul of our union.

“Specifically speaking, the Vice Chancellor wants to run the university the way he likes without due process, without rule of law and best practices and so ASUU said no and it is not possible and that has been the problem.

“There are many unresolved issues…we are calling on the world to come and verify what we are saying.

“We are asking how he came here to convert his wife from nowhere to lecturer (1) how will he explain huge sum of money through TETFUND and through NEED Assessment without due process.

“We are saying to the whole world that this Vice Chancellor should be held culpable. The union is insisting that all those are issues should not be swept under the carpet.

Related News

“On the bases of that he raised allegation of sexual harassment against me, I wasn’t tried he went to the whole world through internet and everything and I was confirmed to have been guilty of the offence.

“And we took the matter to court and court said the matter will be determined and it ordered that I should be called back.

“Less than 24 hours he (VC) recalled me, again he suspended me not sexual harassment this time but for carrying out duties of my union that we externalized the union.

“For us, we’re no longer having confidence on the VC administration. We’ll continue to resist the reign of tyranny in this institution,” Dr Igbafen added.

“The matter is already before the state government. We have written to the state government through the council. We want the state government to act fast before the VC takes the institution backward,” he added.

Others, including the Coordinator of ASUU, Benin Zone, Professor Fred Esuma, who frowned at the reign of terror in the campus called on the Governor Godwin Obaseki led state government and other relevant authorities to quickly come to their rescue.

Other issues in contention include, sudden summer examination taking place in the university against the university’s Senate position on the matter, introduction of casualization the school.

The ASUU members also decried the antics of the university Administration to circumvent and frustrate the standing resolution of the union on part-time programme with respect to the payment of claims of members.

The AAU Public Relations Officer, Mr Edward Aihevba, when contacted, said he was in a meeting and that he should be called back in 30 minutes time. And when the said minutes elapsed, several calls put to his phone were left unanswered.