Pantami Professorship: We’ve Not Been Officially Communicated Over Suit, Says FUTO ASUU Chairperson

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Imo State has denied knowledge of plans by the University authority to drag the ASUU national body to court.

The chairperson of Academic Staff Union of Universities, FUTO branch, Dr Chinedu Ihejirika told journalists on Wednesday in his office that he has not received any official letter or documents either from ASUU national body or from FUTO concerning court issue as the case may be.

ASUU national body had during their last NEC meeting after rejecting the appointments of the Minister of Communication, Isa Pantami as a Professor of Cyber Crimes of the University threatened to sanction the Vice-Chancellor of FUTO, Prof. Nnenna Oti for granting such appointment.

The Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nnenna Oti has also been quoted to have said that the institution would drag ASUU to court.

Ihejirika said that what people heard is a pronouncement adding that the national body has not yet sanctioned anybody because of the processes the body would follow before placing sanctions on any culprit.

He said that ASUU national would as a matter of necessity set up a Grievances Committee that would carry out investigations and anybody found guilty would then be sanctioned.

On the position taken by the national body of ASUU on the Minister of Communication Isa Pantami, Dr Ihejirika said that the association completely allied themselves with the decision.

He said that though FUTO ASUU report on the investigation of the appointment of the Minister carried out and submitted as directed by the national body was rejected and that made them set up their own panel that carried out fact findings for which the outcome was the pronouncement made at the NEC meeting.

The chairperson said that ASUU FUTO is a branch of the national union and have the same charter establishing other branches.

On the strike, the chairperson said that immediately after the national body of ASUU had declared the rollover of the strike, ASUU FUTO conveyed a Congress meeting where they took decision to join other ASUU branch across the country on the strike.

He said that already the body had already intimated the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Prof. Nnenna Oti on their position about the strike apart from the letter earlier on presented to her.

Ihejirika told journalists that even before going to the last NEC meeting, the body had already taken a position to support whatever decision that would be taken at the meeting.

He stated the agender of the union which is anchored on the restoration of education in the country describing it as a collective effort.

He recalled that the struggle started in December 2009 when the Federal Government refused to sign their agreement.

According to him if the government had made bold steps to sign their agreement, the problem brewing up between the union and them would have been over.

He said that the union expected that during the timeline, all problems would have been taken care of adding that ASUU were optimistic and sensitive to the demand of the masses and the plight of the students, parents and religious groups.