By Ozioruva Aliu
THE Ambrose Alli University chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is currently divided over the activities of the visitation panel set by the state government as some members yesterday expressed confidence on the Panel, saying that a letter purportedly written by the leadership of the Union was not part of the decision taken in their last congress.
A statement signed by its chairman, Dr Monday Igbafen, and Secretary, Dr Anthony Aizebioje-Coker a few days ago faulted the panel’s purported meeting with stakeholders in the school.
But a counter statement signed by Ojealaro Peters and 41 other members of the union made available to Journalists in Benin yesterday faulted the claim by Igbafen on the activities of the panel.
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Part of it read: “No approval, ratification, authorization or imprimatur was given by Congress to Dr. Igbafen to do any such letter on behalf of ASUU, AAU Congress Members. Where then did Dr. Igbafen and his Secretary derive their authority to do the letter of 2/11/2020 to the Special Visitation Panel?
“If anything, we aver that it is not within the province of the AAU Exco to set its own agenda/terms of reference for the visitation panel.
“As a responsible Union with high ideals and ethos, ours is to submit memoranda and be prepared to substantiate and defend the same before the panel.
“Going to press with wild, false, baseless and scurrilous allegations against the panel and the Ambrose Alli University administration, is a feeble attempt at a distraction and to besmirch the noble intention of Governor Godwin Obaseki in setting up the panel”, he said.