15th December, 2014
Kazeem Ugbodaga
The crisis rocking the Lagos State University, LASU, is worsening as the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, of the institution has split into two factions, with one faction supporting the management of the school.
A faction of the union met on Thursday and sacked the ASUU Chairman, Dr. Adekunle Idris and his executive, claiming that they want to reposition the union, but the Idris faction said it was not possible for 16 people to meet and sack the executive of the union, describing it as a kangaroo meeting.
At a press conference held at the weekend at the main campus of LASU in Ojo, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, a faction of the union led by Ayodele Asokere as Interim Chairman, ASUU-LASU, said at least 150 members of the union met the previous day and passed a vote of no confidence on the ASUU executive led by Idris.
According to him, an emergency congress was held on 11 December, 2014 at the Theatre Arts Auditorium, Lagos State University.
“At a well attended congress meeting, the union reviewed the events unfolding within the union in the last 21 months under the regime of Mr. Adekunle Idris-led executive. After extensive deliberations, the congress agreed that since the Idris-led executive has lost focus and has displayed gross incapability to hold the union as one, leading to its balkanization, the executive is hereby suspended,” Asokere said.
He said an investigative panel comprising eminent scholars has been constituted to probe the Idris-led executive and report back to the congress within fourteen 14 days.
“Therefore, the entire public is hereby notified of the suspension of Mr. Adekunle Idris-led executive and should cease to parade themselves as chairman and executive of the union.
“An interim executive led by my humble self has been put in place to steer the ship of our union until a properly constituted executive is put in place,” he said.
But Idris said he and his executive could not be removed from office, claiming that it was only 16 of them who met at the congress and not 150 as being claimed, adding that the 16 people who met at the congress led by Asokere had earlier been suspended by the union for anti-union activities as they were found to be working for the management of the school.
“Twenty-one of them were suspended for anti-unio activities because they were working for management during the fight for the reduction of fees. After Asokere was suspended, he voluntarily resigned from ASUU. They are puppet of management, we have reported them to National ASUU and they will take a decision on this.
“We are not saying they cannot form their own union but not as ASUU. We are going to have a congress on Tuesday and a press conference. They want to withdraw my certificate because I fought for the students, it is unjust and uncalled for. They are illegal,” he said.