Okupe who made the allegation at a press briefing on Sunday in Abuja described the leadership of the union as rigid and insensitive.
Okupe said: “The negative disposition of the ASUU leadership is unarguably a pre-conceived and calculated treacherous plot pointedly intended to undermine the Presidency and subvert the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“This is clearly a hallmark of a leadership that is determined to employ subterfuge in an attempt to hold government, students and their parents and other stakeholders to ransom in a reckless and irresponsible display of insensitivity, lawlessness and absolute lack of patriotism and even the fear of God.
“Unfortunately, all this is perpetuated using unsuspecting but otherwise loyal, patriotic and responsible members of ASUU whose families are also sad victims of this reprehensible and callous attitude of their leadership.
“From all indications therefore and other information available to government, it has become obvious that this is no longer an altruistic strike borne out of good intentions and aimed at improving the welfare of students and staff of the universities and the standard of our educational institutions.
“Rather, it is an evil programme motivated by selfish political interests and motivations within the polity”.
The government lamented what it described as ASUU’s intransigence despite the various concessions made to the lecturers, stressing that the teachers have pushed the government to the wall.
“Given the fact that government had reached agreement with ASUU to make available N100 billion for the provision of infrastructure on campuses of 61 universities covered in the needs assessment of universities, with a further commitment of another N200 billion over the next two years, and N40 billion of the N90 billion Earned Allowances demanded by the lecturers one would have expected them to reconsider their stand.
“This was despite the fact that the ASUU leadership in the meeting with President Jonathan failed curiously to articulate the basis of the calculation of the demanded N90 billion earned allowance, which has been on the table since 2009.
“It becomes crystal clear therefore that the Federal Government has shown good faith and commendable commitment by acceding to most of the demands of ASUU.
“This ordinarily ought to be a thing of pride and an outstanding achievement to the ASUU having been able to secure these unprecedented concessions as a direct benefit of the prolonged and painful five month strike.
“Given this dangerous and invidious tendency no right thinking government sworn to protect the welfare of its citizens will fold its arms and watch the situation deteriorate any further.
“History has shown that when governments worldwide are pushed to the wall, they take whatever lawful steps that are necessary to protect the interests of its people and the state over which they govern.
“This is why we make bold to state that there is absolutely nothing dictatorial, draconian or undemocratic in the order by the Federal Government for striking lecturers to return to work or face dismissal.
“You may wish to recall that on the 5th of August 1981, Ronald Reagan then American President sacked 11, 345 air traffic controllers after a two-day strike. Reagan took the decision after the striking workers turned down an 11 percent wage increase he had offered them”.
Okupe stated that the demands of the ASUU leadership unwittingly questioned the integrity of the President, adding that the ASUU leaders went into negotiation with government with a mindset. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Historian must everyone comment on this ASUU issue. What about Generals Abacha era and IBB era?
ReplyDeleteakupe ur are sycophatic. b rational in reasoning for ones.
ReplyDeleteAkupe and co u always back government bcos d gvment is for u along not for d citizen.if dis sort of selfish,tribal,or rlgious sntment in d country wl not be stop den i dont know how we can yield dev.look at vrious cruption inculudn stella oduoh,plce pnsion, petrolium scndal etc consider it wth that of ASUU rquest whch one d ctzen and d ntion wl achieved u always talk as if we dont know what is going on.think wsly and advse mr president tward d devlment of d nation not only ruling matters.
ReplyDeleteS.A.! If ASUU 's strike is POLITICALLY motivated, then ASUP's strike is RELIGIOUSLY motivated. After failing to fulfil Ur agrrement with ASUP they resumed their strike. To show his poor leadership style, Ur oga has said nothing about ASUP. I believe all of U Special Assistant around GEJ are SYCOPHANTS. U're defending him now, but as soon as we VOTE him back to the CREEKS U FOOLS will be the first to fault his "MUMU" leadership style.
ReplyDeleteWake up shameless parasite-cum-special Assistant. Rubbish!
Okupe is an Abacha man. He serves Any Government In Power (AGIP) and with his loud mouth, he talks down on any voice of reason.
ReplyDeleteLeave him alone, he is doing his work.
There is already an Agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU. The 2009 Agreement is the starting point and must be honoured by President Jonathan. As I write, that agreement of 2009 is even obsolete and has to be reviewed upwards to give our universities the pride of place it truly deserves. Anything short of accepting and implementing that agreement is just a temporary resolution. At the appointed time, the strike will resume, standard of education will continue to plummet and our best brains will continue to leave the country in droves.
ReplyDeleteThe further consequence is that universities will continue to "graduate" unemployable graduates that will end up as political thugs who will be willing tools to be used to subvert democracy by Politicians. These willing tools will eventually become our future politicians/leaders and they will never understand what it means to get the education sector working. That is the kind of system that produces the likes of Neyson Wike!
@Anon. 12:09am. How r we sure U nt amomg the ASUU cultists dat r tryin 2 salvage d country's Education....Mr Okupe was only given an xample of wot hapens wen governmnt is been pushed 2 d wall. Left 4 me, I don Sack dem tey tey..dey tut dey r indispensable...Rubish...
ReplyDeleteLet ASUU go back to work after d burial of prof Iyayi,Enough is enough
ReplyDeleteIts not graduating frm sch its about getting job to do. Asuu carrry go.
ReplyDelete