ASUU reacts to OAU Lecturers’ withdrawal

The president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi, has reacted to the withdrawal of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, branch from the national body

Mr Ogunyemi during a telephone interview with our correspondent on Friday said that the group of lecturers who claimed to have pulled out of the national body were illegally constituted and not recognised by the national body, which he heads.

“The body in OAU who claimed to have pulled out of ASUU national belong to the illegal caretaker committee,” said Mr Ogunyemi. “When the chapter had issues with the excos led by Caleb Aborisade, the national body board of trustees were asked to look at the menace in the university.”

He continued, “Unfortunately when the representatives of the ASUU national body went to OAU to solve the problem among them, the illegal caretaker committee led by Niyi Sunmonu denied the representatives of ASUU national entrance into OAU ASUU Secretariat (at OAU).

“On several occasions, the aggrieved parties were called to meetings in order to table their grievances but the Sunmonu group refused. We then left the national body board of trustees to do their job.”

He, however, said that the national body early this month acted based on the report of the committee set up to look at the university crisis.

“The national body early this month at the NEC meeting acted based on the report and the recommendations of the committee set up to look into the matter as provided by the constitution.

“So, we sanctioned the illegal caretaker committee led by Sunmonu and the Aborisade led exco. While the Aborisade group accepted their punishment, the illegal caretaker committee went ahead to pull out even after being guilty of all allegations raised against them,” he said.

CAMPUS REPORTER had earlier this week reported that the OAU chapter led by Niyi Sunmonu had pulled out of the national body to form a new body following a feud between both sides.

The University chapter of ASUU has not been in good terms with the national body following the removal of the Caleb Aborisade-led executives by the branch congress, a move that was rejected by the national body.