By Cross Udo, Abuja
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has urged the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and incumbent National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Prof Attahiru Jega, to stop exploiting ASUU’s intransigent strike to frustrate the Federal Government.
A statement in Abuja yesterday by Senator Chris Ngige Media Office advised Jega, who once led ASUU to a bitter, long-drawn-out strike, about the longest in ASUU history, to avail the present ASUU leadership, his depth in lessons of ruinous industrial action.
The statement added that ASUU has become a menace to public peace with her President using the ongoing strike to canvas and mobilize voters against the present government in the 2023 presidential election, in contravention of Section 15 of the Trade Union Act 2004.
“Is Jega also aware that ASUU has not rendered its audited accounts since 2017 in breach of Sections 40 and 41 of the Trade Union Act, yet they have been collecting check-off dues of members from the Office of Accountant General of the Federation?
“So, how does the Registrar of Trade Union in the Ministry of Labour take measures to correct this infraction by issuing a query to ASUU tantamount to a personal quarrel by the minister?
“Prof. Jega needs to be reminded that in the 2011 Anambra Central Senatorial election, the INEC under his chairmanship, from Abuja, cancelled and ordered a re-run in so many wards in which Senator Ngige was winning his opponent, late Professor Dora Akunyili (May God rest her soul) and declared the election inconclusive?
“Re-runs took place amidst protests from the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) but Ngige won those places again by wider margins. But he never accused Jega of being personal in the discharge of his functions, notwithstanding that Jega denied Ngige personal audience but extended it to his opponent before the main election and during the re-run election. Oh, Prof Jega and Prof Dora were professional colleagues as university teachers.
“As a former civil servant and governor, Ngige did not accuse Jega of compromise even as he was aware of the closeness between Jega and his opponent. Ironically, those living in a glass house, are the same persons who now throw stones.
“It is, therefore, our considered opinion that the former INEC chairman should use his hindsight as emeritus ASUU leader, trustee, and adviser to counsel its present leadership to operate like as a registered Trade Union bound by laws and not as a social club for lecturers.
“We have no apologies that today, three unions exist for academics; CONUA, NAMDA, and ASUU in the Nigerian universities. More applications are being processed for others.
It is left for lecturers to choose which one they want to belong to –a social club for strikers or the one that will use the position to promote education and the future of the Nigerian child. This is democracy untrammelled.
“As to Jega’s imaginary rivalry in the Federal cabinet, let it be known that Senator Ngige has no personal quarrel with any of his colleagues on ASUU but will always insist on fair and equitable treatment to all categories of workers in the public and private sector.”
Speaking on trade unionism, he said, “Trade unionism must exist for the good of the unions, their members, just as it must lead the vanguard of the public good. It must protect the nation and its people just as it shelters union members.
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“It is not a social club for the academics to act in detriment to the nation. This is the piece of advice we thought Jega would avail his former comrades from his presumed deep mine of experience and now a trustee and adviser to ASUU.”
The statement noted that it is overly wrong for Jega to state in a mid-news interview with Arise Television that “the Minister of Labour and Employment turned the ASUU strike into personal quarrel” as all his actions as the nation’s Labour Competent Authority and chief conciliator of disputes, especially as they relate to the ASUU strike fall within the ambit of the law.
“Senator Ngige will continue to discharge his responsibilities as the Minister of Labour and Employment without fear or favour just as we assume that Jega discharged his, as Chairman of the INEC.
“Or does it mean that when he sanctioned political parties or candidates including cancellations of nominations and election results, he discharged such duties in bad faith because of personal quarrels?
“We had thought of overlooking Jega’s darts as a sheer exercise in ‘Espirit de corps’, but Jega is now the national chairman of one of the opposition political parties whose mission is to wrestle power from the APC.
“Should we then ignore him when it is obvious that he is hiding under the ASUU strike to egg Nigerians into rebellion against the ruling party? How can we stand akimbo when the President of ASUU, Prof. Osodeke had on national television (AIT and Arise) urged Nigerians to vote out the APC? The video is in circulation for all to access on YouTube.
“If the present ASUU leadership has turned Labour agitation into hooliganism, how does Jega define such unionism? Is abusing Ministers and top government officials, and sometimes trying to physically assault them part of the unionism that Jega is defending?
“In early 2020 after a meeting in the Presidential Villa, in the forecourt of the President’s office, the present ASUU President attempted a physical attack on one of the female Ministers but was restrained by the security men.
“The Minister had told the meeting that IPPIS officials who went to Nnamdi Azikiwe to capture lecturers on the IPPIS platform were physically attacked by ASUU executive members.
“In 2022 when this strike was declared, ASUU also
threatened the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy with the withdrawal of his professorship from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, (FUTO) while the present Director-General of NITDA was equally threatened with the withdrawal of his bachelor’s degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
“The sin of these two government officials is that they discharged their function of testing UTAS as demanded by the government and presented reports which showed the platform failed integrity tests in March 2022.
“Though the union does not have such powers to withdraw certificates or impose similar sanctions, why did this go unnoticed by Jega? Encouragement of mischief, you may say because he belongs to the same constituency.
“Jega should also now know of the threat by some overzealous ASUU officials at the University of Lagos to the daughter of the Minister of Labour in September 2020 that she would be failed in her final MBBs exams if the father continued to support government positions.
“Ngige’s children are all products of medical schools of a public university – UNILAG, COUTH, Awka, and UNIABUJA. Jega’s children are all overseas.
“Are all these part of decent unionism or sheer acts of intimidation deployed in negotiations? Professor Jega is now a full-blown politician and part of the opposition that wants the APC out and would rather not see this. Prof, permit us to tell you this straight. You are not in a position to judge or offer any unbiased opinion in this matter.”
