The Secretariat of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), branch is reported to be under lock and key.
The alarm raised by Prof. Dennis Aribodor, Zonal Coordinator, ASUU Owerri Zone was contained in a press release signed and issued to Journalists during a press conference held at ASUU-UNIZIK Secretariat Awka, on Thursday.
According to the zonal coordinator in the release said, “The attention of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Owerri Zone made up of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State University, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, has been drawn to the consistent and concerted efforts of the Administration of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) to ridicule the leadership of ASUU FUTO and cause disaffection within the ASUU-FUTO Branch of the Union.
“On the 22nd of June 2023, the Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Professor Nnenna N. Oti, purportedly resigned her membership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities using the official letter headed paper of the office of the Vice Chancellor.
“Professor Otti, ought to have known that labour laws do not permit an employer to belong to a union of employees. Consequently, as Vice Chancellor of FUTO, she is not a member of the Academic Staff Union of Universities. If she desires to resign her membership in the Union, she should resign in her capacity following the extant provisions of the Constitution of the Academic Staff Union of Universities as stipulated in Article 3 Section (vii). Sequel to the purported resignation, the unfortunate events began to unfold on the 3rd of July 2023 with a purported congress meeting in which a group of ASUU FUTO members, acting out an already prepared script purportedly “suspended all the former executives” of ASUU FUTO and “replaced” them with new ones in acting capacity.
“This was immediately followed by the sealing of the ASUU FUTO Secretariat by the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the University.
“The ASUU Owerri Zone hopes that these misguided members understand that the former Executive Committee of ASUU FUTO is the one that was led by Dr. Christopher Echereobia, who is alleged to be the brain behind the efforts to decimate the Union in FUTO.
“Again, on the 4th of July 2023, one Engr. C.C. Onwuachu, the Acting Secretary of the misguided members, wrote to the Secretary of ASUU FUTO demanding a handover of all ASUU property to him.
“As we speak, the Secretariat of ASUU FUTO is still under lock and key in spite of the appeals made to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Nnenna N. Oti, by the leadership of ASUU Owerri Zone and a group of Professors in FUTO.
“The leadership of ASUU Owerri Zone hereby informs the general public that the legitimate leadership of ASUU FUTO is the Executive Committee led by Comrade Chinedu Ihejirika. Any other group that claims leadership of the Union at FUTO is but a group of impostors.”
