News

ASUU Serves Final Notice, Threatens Strike at Expiration of 14 Days Ultimatum

Published

5 months ago

October 2, 2024

Eric

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has vowed to down tools after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum issued the Federal government to meet its demands.

Briefing journalists, in Calabar, the Zonal Coordinator, ASUU Calabar zone, Comrade Happiness Uduk, who read a joint statement by all chairpersons of the zone, warned that the Federal government should be held responsible for the breakdown of industrial harmony, which might arise from its indifference towards their plight.

“Our Union will withdraw services, and should not be held responsible for the breakdown in industrial harmony which will arise as a result of the government’s insensitivity, insincerity, indifference and time-buying tactics.

“The Union calls on those in authority as well as their agents to seize this window to forestall the looming crisis.

“With a feeling of indignation, we regret to bore you with the cry of anger, frustration and unfulfilled promises that have tirelessly bedeviled our struggle and have been front-burnt for several years.

“The Calabar zone of ASUU has called this Press conference because of development or the lack of it, as regards our engagements with the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“As you are aware, in a letter dated 20th August 2024, the Union gave the government a 21-day ultimatum for the resolution of all the issues in contention since 2009.

“We categorically want to inform you that nothing tangible has changed safely for meetings and more meetings for which government agents were more concerned with receiving allowances for convening such meetings from tax-payers money, and the funds that our government claims it does not have.

“We are compelled, therefore, to address you, gentlemen of the Press on the latest development or otherwise because of the inevitable and impending industrial action to press home our demands.

“As men of the fourth (estate of) realm, to escalate the issues for those concerned to improve the already fragile industrial harmony in our tertiary institutions and save the education system from total collapse or risk yet another industrial action.

“Recall that in an open letter to the Federal government, our Union in a bid to ensure that this legacy struggle is achieved for the good of Nigerians and Nigeria, had mentioned ten (10) issues in contention including the conclusion of the re-negotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement based on the draft agreement by the Nimi Briggs committee in 2021, which is already out of date given the reality of the current Dollar/Naira ratio amongst others.

“The failure of governments to implement contents of several Memoranda of Understanding and Action between 2013 and 2022 has particularly hampered access to wholesome industrial harmony in public Universities especially as renegotiation has lingered for over seven years spanning the Babalakin-led team through Jubrin Munzali’s team and Emeritus Prof. Nimi Briggs’ committee.

“The last two concluded renegotiation but the government has not owned the said document nor implemented its contents. Since the inception of this government, all efforts to get them to adopt and implement the said agreement have been frustrated.

“With the current economic realities, even the wage award and palliative cannot replace the renegotiated agreement which was reached following the time-tried and honoured principle of collective bargaining.

“Presently, it is difficult for any University worker to tell his/her exact salary as it fluctuates every month while third-party deductions are withheld or released haphazardly with impunity and amputations.

“It is obvious this government is not interested in resolving lingering issues with our Union that is why like previous governments, its engagements with us are characterized by bottlenecks of bureaucracy, time-buying, documentation denial, lack of budgetary provisions rather compounding and complicating the already unpleasant relationship.

“Given current realities in the dysfunctional relationship between Federal government and ASUU, the Union resolved to give the government 14 more days ultimatum to the earlier 21 days beginning from Monday, 23rd September 2024 within which all issues must have been addressed to the satisfaction of our poorly-treated members.

“We hereby encourage members that though the road is rough, victory is assured because there is no going back,” the union concluded.

News

Sack Wike Now, Niger Delta Youths Tell Tinubu

Published

10 minutes ago

March 15, 2025

Eric

The youth chapter of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike, to retract his publicly disparaging remarks against the Ijaw nation and the leaders of this socio-political body.

According to the youths, it is embarrassing that Wike insulted the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, even in death without respecting him.

Addressing journalists on Saturday, the National Youth President of the Youth Wing, Doben Donyegha, who gave the ultimatum, said that it was annoying that Wike abused the leaders of the South-South geopolitical zone less than 24 hours after its delegation met with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Wike, during a media chat on Thursday, described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, while also calling the board of trustee members of the body “political merchants”.

Donyegha, who also urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately sack the minister from his cabinet, said that the youth wing no longer had confidence in him and that keeping Wike in his cabinet may affect the president’s re-election chances in the Niger Delta come 2027.

The President of the PANDEF youths also asked the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate the minister, alleging land-grabbing activities in the FCT.

News

Ahead Budget Presentation, Amaewhule-led Rivers Assembly Adjourns Sitting Indefinitely

Published

23 hours ago

March 14, 2025

Eric

The Rivers State House of Assembly has adjourned its sittings indefinitely.

The decision to adjourn legislative duties indefinitely was reached during plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, in Port Harcourt on Friday.

The development comes hours after the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, wrote to the Speaker, informing him of his intention to visit the House to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill for consideration and approval.

The governor, in a letter dated March 13 and addressed to the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, said he intends to present the budget on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, or any other day within March that the House may deem fit.

Fubara said his decision is in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment and in response to the lawmakers’ request for him to re-present the budget.

He recalled the bitter experience of visiting the Assembly Quarters with his entourage, where the lawmakers were temporarily sitting to present the budget, but he was denied access to the complex.

News

Suspension: Natasha Sues Akpabio, Others for Contempt

Published

2 days ago

March 13, 2025

Eric

The Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has filed contempt charges against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and others over her six-month suspension without pay from the Senate.

Others listed in the Form 48 contempt charge, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja and sighted on Thursday, include the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuen.

It will be recalled that Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on 4 March, while delivering a ruling on an ex parte motion filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan through her legal team led by Mr. Michael Numa (SAN), restrained the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct from proceeding with any investigation against the plaintiff/applicant.

This investigation related to alleged misconduct following events that occurred during the Senate plenary session on February 20, 2025 and a subsequent referral on February 25, 2025.

The court’s order was to remain in effect pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.

The court also issued an order directing the defendants to show cause why an interlocutory injunction should not be granted to restrain them from proceeding with the purported investigation against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for alleged misconduct, as such actions would affect her privileges as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.

Additionally, the court declared that “any action taken during the pendency of the suit is null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.”

The Court granted Akpoti-Uduaghan permission to serve the originating summons and accompanying documents on all defendants through substituted means, such as delivering them to the Clerk of the National Assembly, cited as the 1st Defendant, or by pasting them on the premises of the National Assembly and publishing them in two national dailies.

However, just two days after the court’s ruling, the Senate proceeded to suspend Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months.

In response to the court order, the Senate President contested the power of the court to interfere in the internal affairs of the legislature, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction to intervene in Senate matters.

In her contempt charge, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that her suspension constituted wilful disobedience to the subsisting court order issued on March 4 stating that an enrolled order of the interim injunction issued by Justice Egwuatu was duly served on the defendants on March 5.

According to Form 48, the defendants/contemnors “deliberately and contumaciously disregarded” the binding directive of the court and “proceeded with acts in flagrant defiance of the authority of the court.”

The court, in a notice of disobedience of a court order signed by its Registrar pursuant to Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act 2004, informed the defendants/contemnors of their wilful disobedience to the court order issued by Justice Obiora Egwuatu.

It warned that defying the subsisting order rendered Akpabio, Senator Imasuen, and the Clerk of the National Assembly liable for contempt of court, which could result in their committal to prison.