President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has been slammed as mentally lazy and suffering from a military hangover, ordering vice-chancellors to reopen federal universities nationwide.
Laja Odukoya, ASUU zonal coordinator in Lagos, accused the Buhari’s government of trying to force striking lecturers back to class against their will.
The government through the National University Commission had earlier on Monday, ordered vice-chancellors to reopen the universities. It later cancelled its order but not before the ASUU condemned what it described as its dictatorial tendency and disregard for the rule of law.
“Members of the Senate of these universities are members of ASUU, hence, they are on strike,” said the ASUU coordinator in an article obtained by Peoples Gazette on Monday. “Is it not a case of mental lethargy of the government to think that the VCs and pro-chancellors can reopen the public universities without recourse to the Senate of these universities?”
Censuring the regime for trying to force the hands of the vice-chancellors, Mr Odukoya argued that the regime’s order was “contemptuous.”
“Is the order to forcefully ‘open’ the universities when the matter is still in the court; appeal and stay of execution filed, not contemptuous of the court?” Mr Odukoya reasoned. “This is clearly a replica of, or a hangover from, a typical military administration, and never anything characteristic of the civility that garnishes democracy and its accompanying rule of law.”
He further described the Buhari government as “desperate and insensitive” to the plight of the lecturers and other Nigerians.
“First, a government with legendary contempt for the rule of law and passionate intimacy with lawlessness has no shame rushing to the National Industrial Court (NIC) to ‘procure’ a judgment in frontal assault and contravention of due process and legality,” the ASUU coordinator stressed. “The government succeeded in securing an unjust injunction with which it seeks to force ASUU members to the classrooms on (an) empty stomach.”
