Asuu Out to Undermine Presidency- Okupe

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe has accused the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of attempting to undermine and subvert the Presidency.

Okupe who made the allegation at a press briefing on Sunday in Abuja described the leadership of the union as rigid and insensitive.

Okupe said: “The negative disposition of the ASUU leadership is unarguably a pre-conceived and calculated treacherous plot pointedly intended to undermine the Presidency and subvert the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“This is clearly a hallmark of a leadership that is determined to employ subterfuge in an attempt to hold government, students and their parents and other stakeholders to ransom in a reckless and irresponsible display of insensitivity, lawlessness and absolute lack of patriotism and even the fear of God.

“Unfortunately, all this is perpetuated using unsuspecting but otherwise loyal, patriotic and responsible members of ASUU whose families are also sad victims of this reprehensible and callous attitude of their leadership.

“From all indications therefore and other information available to government, it has become obvious that this is no longer an altruistic strike borne out of good intentions and aimed at improving the welfare of students and staff of the universities and the standard of our educational institutions.

“Rather, it is an evil programme motivated by selfish political interests and motivations within the polity”. The government lamented what it described as ASUU’s intransigence despite the various concessions made to the lecturers, stressing that the teachers have pushed the government to the wall.

“Given the fact that government had reached agreement with ASUU to make available N100 billion for the provision of infrastructure on campuses of 61 universities covered in the needs assessment of universities, with a further commitment of another N200 billion...