The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has cautioned Academic Staff Union of Universities ,ASUU, over its call to the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, Prof. Nnenna Oti, to resign.
It warned the university lecturers’ organisation to rescind from such ugly move or face the wrath of students.
The students’ body which noted that the FUTO vice chancellor had not done anything wrong to deserve such call, accused ASUU of being responsible for instability in the nation’s universities.
Recall that members of ASUU, Owerri zone, had last Friday, demanded the immediate resignation of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Prof. Nnenna Oti, over alleged corrupt practices and anti-union activities.
ASUU, through its Zonal Coordinator, Dennis Aribodor, at press conference in Awka, Anambra State capital,demanded immediate resignation of the FUTO Vice Chancellor.
The union is composed of members from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State University, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umuahia and Nnamdi Azikiwe University,Awka.
But reacting to ASUU demand while addressing the media, Sunday evening, in Abuja, NANS’ Vice President,Comrade Ezenagu Victor, while noting that ASUU had long deviated from its core mandate,called on the federal government to proscribe the union.
He said:”it has become expedient to address the unbecoming attitude of the leadership of Academic Staff Union of Universities. The latest of which is the provocative call by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU,zonal leaders for the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology,Owerri,to resign her position over alleged corruption.
“We feel concerned to react to the ASUU demand because the Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Prof. Nnena Oti, is a mentor to many of us, particularly, our female folks. We were shocked when we read about the ASUU demand in most national dailies about the woman who has personified integrity, honesty and transparency. Sequel to this, NANS has been able to carry out investigation by interacting with both students and staff of the institution”.
“Although we were not able to have any discussion with members of FUTO Management as they said part of the issue we wanted to inquire of was already in court. Our finding has shown that the allegations against the vice chancellor were not only unfounded, but also malicious and wicked. Testimonial evidences garnered by NANS points to the fact that the action of the ASUU leaders is a mere political vendetta.”
NANS claimed that the alleged attack on Prof. Nnenna was because of her gender, as well as transparency in the discharge of her duties as Vice Chancellor.
“Those who lost to her during the vice chancellorship contest as well as those who could not use her to achieve their ungodly aims during the national assignment have resulted to using ASUU to grind their axe with her, thus making the university ungovernable,”he alleged.
He spoke further:”We, the National Association of Nigerian Students, wish to draw the attention of ASUU in particular and the public in general, that those fighting the Vice Chancellor of FUTO by proxy are obviously threatening peace and tranquility in the university.
“We are already informed that the disturbance is aimed at causing industrial action at the university so as to bring her to disrepute at the expense of students’ learning. It should be well noted that all industrial disputes have major side effects on students who suffer untold hardship during and after such disputes.”
Some of the effects,he mentioned,include waste of students’ precious time, amounting to the students spending longer years in the university and waste of resources, as student end up paying more school fees.
