By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Members of the Academic Staff of Union of Universities, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, (ASUU-ATBU), Bauchi branch has called the attention of the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), the Minister of Education, Governor of Bauchi State and the President of Nigeria, who is the visitor of the University, to note the affronts and threat: on the University by a segment of the public.
The ASUU-ATBU therefore wants the concerned authorities to take action to protect ATBU, Bauchi and the lives of the Professors before things get out of hand.
The call was made during a press conference addressed by the Chairperson of ASUU-ATBU, Comrade Angulu Haruna PhD, titled: “Affronts on University Autonomy and Malam Isa Yuguda’s Threats to University Professors.”
He stated that, “The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is stunned by the outbursts of a former Governor of Bauchi State, Malam Isa Yuguba, at a recent public hearing on a Bill to change the mandate of ATBU Bauchi from Technology based University to conventional University at the National Assembly.”
According to him,”Malam Isa Yuguda while addressing the media criminalized anybody who is not in support of the Bill, as he puts it, ‘any person who is against turning the University into a conventional University is a criminal.”
He added that, “The former Governor was not happy with the Professors who spoke against the said Bill because of its violation of the University autonomy and in registering his frustration he exclaimed that who the hell are Professors for goodness sake!.”
“Malam Isa Yuguda ought to know that attending a public hearing at the National Assembly is a legitimate right of citizens. It is therefore appalling and unfortunate for a former Chief Executive of a State to criminalize people who exercise their rights in a legislative procedure,” he added.
He further stated that,”More so, ASUU is concerned that Malam Isa Yuguda who is a Pro-chancellor of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) displayed total disregard to the crème dela crème of the University, Professors, and as such belittle the domain he is entrusted by the President of Nigeria to superintend; this has called to question his competence, integrity and commitment for nation building and national security.”
According to him,”Furthermore, the Union wish to remind the public that our College of Medical Sciences had commenced much earlier before the former Governor’s intervention. It is also on record that Bauchi State Government handed over the former State Specialist Hospital to Federal Government and was compensated, the proceeds of the exchange were what the former Governor used in developing other places especially the State Specialist Hospital along Ran road.”
Angulu Haruna added that, “Therefore, his claim that he laboured for the establishment of College of Medical Sciences in ATBU, Bauchi is not true, rather his administration benefitted from its creation.”
He added, “As if that is not enough, another disturbing af front and threats to the University Autonomy and Professors was displayed by Alhaji Ladan Salihu, a seasoned Journalist, an administrator, a former Director General of the Federal Radia Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) who after the public hearing released a video message condemning the entire University team and the National Universities Commission (NUC) for opposing the Bill.”
He stressed that,”More worrisome is Alhaji Ladan Salihu’s statement that those who are in opposition to the Bill are the biggest enemies of the people of Bauchi State.”
The Union stated that it “finds it very disturbing that these individuals who are supposed to be conversant with the Law will pretentiously openly attack the ATBU Bauchi team who exercised their rights in the recently conducted public hearing by the National Assembly on a Bill proposing to change the mandate of ATBU Bauchi.”
ASUU as a Union of intellectuals that is in the forefront of championing the good course of public University global competitiveness and the well-being of the nation is worried with the blatant affronts on the University Autonomy and threats to Professors, ATBU Bauchi Governing Council, and the University Administration because of their position in holding to the dictates of the Laws governing public Universities.
It is against this backdrop that the Union is calling on Malam Isah Yuguda to publicly withdraw his statement and quietly resign from his position as Chairman of the Governin: Council of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). You cannot preside over system you hold with such disappointing contempt.
But in a swift response to the ASUU-ATBU, Isa Yuguda stated that, “My attention has been drawn to a social media posting – widely in circulation – purported to be my comments on the issue of the proposed conversion of the Abuɓakar Tafawa Balewa University ( ATBU) from the University of Technology to a conventional University.”
According to him,”In the said video, I was quoted as supporting the proposed conversion, but in words and language that are foreign to me and, indeed, not in my lexicon. While the image in the video is mine, the text is certainly not. It must have been AI-generated.”
The former Governor stressed that, “It is true that I am in agreement with the proposed conversion of ABTU to a conventional University, and I have good reasons for my position. However, I could not have made adverse comments against those who oppose the idea, certainly not gainst Professors; and not in the vulgar language reported!”
According to him,”Those familiar with my record can attest that the words attributed to me are neither part of my vocabulary, nor would I ever impugn the collective integrity of professors. Indeed, being a product of the university and having worked closely with professors throughout my career, I hold them in the highest esteem and regard.”
“I understand the anguish felt by many – relations, friends, well-wishers, and colleagues – especially the Concerned Graduates of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, and others. I wish to assure everyone that the video does not accurately represent my perspective on the matter.”
On the claim that the College of Medical Sciences commenced long before his intervention, the former Governor dismissed the assertion, saying the Union was being misled.
He stated that he was fully aware of the steps he personally took to ensure the success of the College, which has now produced qualified Medical Doctors and other professionals in the medical sciences and health sector generally.
He further stressed that those opposing the proposed conversion of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) into a conventional university are not acting out of concern for Bauchi State or its economic development.
According to him, Lecturers in particular should not be among those resisting a move that would enhance educational growth and development in the state.
He then urged stakeholders to engage constructively on the issue, stressing that the proposed conversion was aimed at enhancing educational development in Bauchi State.
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