Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says its current face-off with Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, is a war against impunity by Nigerian leaders and an attempt to salvage the nation.

Chairperson of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Dr. Uzochukwu Onyebinama, while briefing the press yesterday in Umuahia on why universities embarked on one-day nationwide warning strike, accused the country’s leaders of capitalising on the docility of the masses to indulge in flagrant abuse of the law.

ASUU, Onyebinama said, embarked on the solidarity strike to drive home their demand for Amaechi to respect the laws establishing Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) and follow due process in appointing a new Vice Chancellor (VC) for the institution.

ASUU is angry that Amaechi is interested in reappointing Prof. Barineme Fakae as the VC of RSUST and is allegedly breaching the law of the school in trying to have his way.

According to ASUU, towards the end of Fakae’s tenure as VC, the process of selecting a new one was set in motion with the Governing Council of RSUST advertising the position and constituting an interview panel.

News Express learnt that Fakae applied alongside four others, bringing to five, the total number of applicants. After the interview, Fakae was said to have come last and the RSUST law, ASUU maintained, provides that the names of the first three candidates should be forwarded to the Visitor of the School for him to choose one from among them as the VC.

The process became twisted at this point, as ASUU alleged that Amaechi, whose candidate did not make it, disbanded the Council and appointed Fakae Acting VC. ASUU is insisting that by this action, Amaechi has breached the laws of RSUST which provides that the Deputy Vice Chancellor becomes the Acting VC in the absence of a substantive VC.

In protest, RSUST branch of ASUU embarked on an indefinite strike early in August. Matters took a turn for the worse when the August 15 meeting of RSUST ASUU attended by a delegation of the National Executive of ASUU despatched to go and fashion a way out of the challenges arising from the “illegal” appointment of Fakae as Acting VC was violently disrupted by policemen and hoodlums who were said to have manhandled the RSUST chairperson of ASUU, Dr Felix Igwe, leading to his hospitalisation.

This incident forced ASUU National President, Dr Nasir Isa Faggae to call for a one-day nationwide warning strike by all universities in the country yesterday.

Onyebinama said the strike was observed by ASUU members in MOUAU, adding that the union would continue to protest the violation of RSUST laws by Amaechi until he follows due process in appointing a new VC for the school.

“ASUU is drawing attention to the tendencies of the leadership of this country at all levels towards flagrant abuse of the law for parochial and selfish interest. We are looking for how we can salvage this country,” he said.

“The problem is that the leadership of this country is taking unfair advantage of the docility of the people. Because of the inability of our people to defend their rights the leadership has the unfortunate conviction that they can do anything and get away with it,” Onyebinama added, warning that the high level of impunity among the leaders must stop.

*Photo: Governor Amaechi