2019: ASUU Denies Endorsing Atiku

2019: ASUU denies endorsing Atiku

The Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) has denied what it described as the purported
endorsement of the presidential candidate of the opposition, Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, in the forthcoming general
elections.

A statement issued by ASUU branches across the Ogun
State-based universities including the Federal University of
Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Tai Solarin University of Education
(TASUED), Ijagun, and the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye,
described the report as a figment of the imagination of the reporter,
and an attempt by the PDP to drag the union into partisan politics.

The
statement, which was signed by the chairmen of the branches including
Joel Okewale, Olatunji Ettu and Adebayo Oni for OOU, TASUED, and FUNAAB
respectively, noted that ASUU members are free to associate with
whichever political party they may decide to choose, but should not do
so in the name of the union.

According to ASUU, a report by
Tribune newspaper had announced the endorsement of Atiku by the union
leadership in Ogun State after a purported meeting with former governor,
Gbenga Daniel, in his house.

The union’s statement reads in
part; “Our attention has been drawn to a news item in the Tribune Online
of Wednesday, February 6, 2019, titled; “#NigeriaDecides: Ogun ASUU,
Academics Pledge Support For Atiku.”

“The said article claimed
that members of ASUU along with other stakeholders in the educational
sector resolved to work, canvass and mobilise in support of the
presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar to ensure his election
in the forthcoming presidential election in February.

“In
refuting the involvement of ASUU in the said resolution, we wish to
state the following that: ASUU does not operate along the state divide.
Therefore, there is no Ogun ASUU, just as there is no ASUU for other
states. Our union has a national charter with branches in universities.

The
union described the purported ‘Ogun ASUU’ as a “fabrication, completely
nonexistent and a figment of (the) imagination of the newspaper
reporter.”

“Whilst respecting the interest of individual
academics and their political leanings, our union wishes to state
categorically that ASUU has no part in the said meeting where the
resolution was made and also disclaims the involvement of ASUU in the
said resolution.

“ASUU views the use of its name in the newspaper
item as a deliberate mischief by the newspaper correspondent who is
aware that ASUU has branch executives in each of the public university
in Ogun State, and should have verified the news item before publishing.

“For
the avoidance of doubt, ASUU states unequivocally that at no time were
any of its representatives involved in any political gathering where
support was declared for any political party or candidate.

“We,
therefore, dissociate ourselves from this extant Tribune Online news and
any such mischievous news item. We call on the public to be wary of
such news with the intrinsic frivolity and cheap attempt to ride on our
Union’s integrity.”

The chairman of the Lagos Zone of ASUU,
Olusiji Sowande, in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES, also
condemned the action of the newspaper, describing the report as
“unfounded and untrue.”

Q.E..D.

Source:- Premiumtimesng