"ASUU IS RECKLESS, IRRESPONSIBLE, LAWLESS, AN LACKS FEAR OF GOD" - PRESIDENCY

Dr. Doyin Okupe, the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck
Jonathan has blasted the Academic Union of Universities (ASSU) for its...

refusal to call off the ongoing strike.
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 over
the next two years, and N40 billion of the N90 billion Earned
Allowances demanded by the lecturers one would have expected them to
reconsider their stand.
"This was despite the fact that the ASUU leadership in the meeting
with President Jonathan failed curiously to articulate the basis of
the calculation of the demanded N90 billion earned allowance, which
has been on the table since 2009.
"It becomes crystal clear therefore that the Federal Government has
shown good faith and commendable commitment by acceding to most of the
demands of ASUU.
"This ordinarily ought to be a thing of pride and an outstanding
achievement to the ASUU having been able to secure these unprecedented
concessions as a direct benefit of the prolonged and painful five
month strike.
"Given this dangerous and invidious tendency no right thinking
government sworn to protect the welfare of its citizens will fold its
arms and watch the situation deteriorate any further.
"History has shown that when governments worldwide are pushed to the
wall, they take whatever lawful steps that are necessary to protect
the interests of its people and the state over which they govern.
"This is why we make bold to state that there is absolutely nothing
dictatorial, draconian or undemocratic in the order by the Federal
Government for striking lecturers to return to work or face dismissal.
"You may wish to recall that on the 5th of August 1981, Ronald Reagan
then American President sacked 11, 345 air traffic controllers after a
two-day strike. Reagan took the decision after the striking workers
turned down an 11 percent wage increase he had offered them".