The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) UNILAG chapter Dr Dele Ashiru says the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA) is an illegal organization made up of disgruntled individuals.
Speaking on Channels Television’s flagship program Sunrise Daily on Friday, Dr Ashiru, disclosed that ASUU cannot be gotten rid of.
“Well, you see, my reaction to that is that ASUU is an idea and nobody kills an idea. So, if you have a bunch of disgruntled, dissatisfied individuals who want to yield themselves as tools in the hands of oppressors; you know masquerading as trade unions in the Universities, yeah we will wish them luck,” the lecturer said.
“So, ASUU can’t be jittery. What you are seeing is mere grandstanding. Go into the universities and ask those who are members of this illegal society to raise up their hands.”
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CONUA ‘Telling Lies’
His remark is the latest from the union which has been at loggerheads with the Federal Government. ASUU is asking for improved welfare and a host of other demands.
After failed attempts to resolve the crisis, the Federal Government presented certificates of registration to factional bodies – CONUA and the National Association of Medical and Dental Academics (NAMDA) – a move many believe is to weaken ASUU.
But Ashiru maintained that CONUA is illegal, saying that neither the Minister of Labour Chris Ngige nor the Federal Government has the right to certify trade unions.
“Is it the Minister of Labour that gives a certificate to trade unions? It is not the Minister. The registrar of trade unions should publish the certificate they got. What you are seeing happens only in a country like Nigeria,” he added.
“Is it a Minister that will call a press conference and be displaying a letter saying they registered another union? Is it a government that recognizes a trade union? A trade union is situated in its followership.”
Dr Ashiru also claimed that members of the CONUA faction were filled with liars who spread fallacies about their reach across universities in the country.
“CONUA has been around since 2017. They have been gallivanting about telling lies to themselves and some of their cronies,” he noted.
“One of the lies is that they are in 17 universities. I am a university teacher, where are they in the 17 universities?”
