ABUJA – NIGERIA: President Goodluck Jonathan says the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities since July 1, 2013 over the non-implementation of 2009 agreement with the Federal Government is no longer a trade dispute but a subversive action against his government.
While trying to justify the ultimatum given to ASUU, President Jonathan said:
“What ASUU is doing is no longer trade union. I have intervened in other labour issues before now, once I invite them, they respond and after the meeting they take decision and call off the strike.
“But despite the fact that I had the longest meeting with ASUU in my political history, we did not start that meeting until around 2 pm and the meeting ended the next day in the early hours of the morning. As far as the government of Nigeria was concerned, all the critical people that should be in a meeting were there, so what else do they want?”
He stated this at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, state caucus meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa in Bayelsa State.
He was reacting to a plea from his former boss, ex-Governor Diepreye Alamieyesigha, who told him that the new deadline of December given to ASUU to call off its strike or be sacked, is not right.
Alamieyesigha noted that the same date was fixed for the burial of late Prof. Festus Iyayi, who died in a road accident in Kogi State on November 12, en route Kano for a meeting that could have ended the strike.
The former governor, who is also the Chairman Elders Advisory Forum in the state, urged him to reconsider the date in order not to be seen as insensitive.
But President Jonathan is still insisting, he said: “After that, they didn’t meet until one week, despite the fact that you met with the highest authority. It was unfortunate one of them, Prof. Iyayi died.”
It would be recalled that the Federal Government, through the acting Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, had on Thursday given ASUU one week ultimatum to call off strike or consider themselves sacked.
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