By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi (ASUU-ATBU), have called on the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and President Bola Tinubu to intervene over recent affronts and threats to the university.
It also called on Governor Bala Mohammed to take urgent action to protect ATBU, Bauchi and the lives of its professors before the situation escalates.
The Chairperson of ASUU-ATBU, Comrade Angulu Haruna PhD, made this known during a Press conference titled “Affronts on University Autonomy and Malam Isa Yuguda’s Threats to University Professors” in Bauchi.
“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.
“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.”
“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.”
“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.
“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”.
“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.
“We find 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.” The union stated.
ASUU said it is worried by what it described as open affronts on university autonomy and threats to professors, the ATBU Bauchi Governing Council and the university administration because of their stand on the law governing public universities.
It called on Malam Isah Yuguda to publicly withdraw his statement and resign as Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
According to the union,“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.
“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.”
“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!”.The
“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 began before his intervention, Yuguda dismissed the assertion, saying the union was being misled.
He said he was fully aware of the steps he personally took to ensure the success of the College, which has produced medical doctors and other professionals, adding that those opposing the proposed conversion of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) into a conventional university are not acting in the interest of Bauchi State or its economic development.
He said that lecturers should not be among those resisting a move aimed at improving educational growth in the state and urged stakeholders to engage constructively on the issue, stressing that the proposed conversion was meant to enhance educational development in Bauchi State.
,,, But is ATBU a state university???..