from Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) ,Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) chapter has insisted that its former executives led by Chinedu Ihejirika remain suspended despite verbal attacks by the Owerri zone of the union.
Addressing newsmen on the latest crisis in the union, acting chairperson of ASUU – FUTO,comrade Frank Ojiako described the Owerri zone coordinator, professor Denis Aribodor’ claims in the media as “arraignment of fiction and half truths” aimed at misleading the public.
Ojiako also pointed out that it is highly ridiculous for the leadership of ASUU,Owerri zone to impose a suspended executive,Ihejirika on the union and thereby resolved that his suspension still stands.
He said “The erstwhile executive committee of ASUU-FUTO led by comrade Chinedu Ihejirika has been suspended indefinitely and a new executive ,in acting capacity appointed by a legally constituted and very well attended Congress that held at the Forestry and Wildlife Technology Department Auditorium on July,3.
However given reasons for the suspension,Ojiako said that the Ihejirika led executives was suspended on offences ranging from alleged financial recklessness, repeated betrayal of ASUU FUTO Congress decisions ,campaign of calumny on the State exco among others.
“Failure by the suspended exco to present financial reports to the Congress for almost two years as against the constitutional stipulation of quarterly presentations. This is a serious constitutional breach that is both reprehensible and unacceptable.
” The treasurer of the union is the principal signatory to the ASUU FUTO bank accounts ,it is a constitutional requirement that in the unforseen absence of the treasurer ,Congress should be convened to elect a new treasurer.
“The chairperson of the suspended exco has been unable to conduct election to fill the vacant position of the office treasurer of the union who has been on leave of absence to the United States for the past one year.
” In order to restore normalcy and safeguard our common patrimony ,it therefore became necessary that the ASUU exco ,as then constituted should be constitutionally jettisoned ,having outlived its usefulness”. Ojiako alleges.
