The Academic Staff Union
of Universities (ASUU), has carpeted the Governor of Edo State, Mr Adams Oshimhole for demolishing a property accommodation belonging to the University of Benin, a Federal Government-owned institution.
ASUU, which made the condemnation during a press briefing at its zonal headquarters in Port Harcourt said Governor Oshimhole by demolishing a property belonging to the Federal Government acted in bad faith.
Addressing newsmen over the issue at the University of Port Harcourt, the Zonal Coordinator, ASUU, Port Harcourt Zone, Prof. Beke Sese said it was disheartening that the Edo State Governor took the action when the matter concerning the UNIBEN’s property accommodation was subsisting in the Court of Appeal, describing the governor’s action as “wanton recourse to self-help, total disregard for the laws of the land and disrespect for court processes.”
According to the ASUU Zonal Coordinator, the incident first took place in January, 2015, when the governor allegedly led some thugs to pull down the property located in the GRA of Benin City and occupied by staff of UNIBEN.
“This disgraceful act came on the heels of a court judgement in favour of the Edo State Government against which the university had filed an appeal,” he said, adding that the governor had promised to pay compensation to those who suffered losses as a result of the action but had failed to keep the promise.
Instead of keeping the promise, Sese noted that the governor had rather ordered the complete demolition of the remaining structures on Thursday, February 11, 2016 in clear breach of the laws of the land.
“This action is condemnable. It is the height of lawlessness and irresponsibility for one who swore to uphold the respect for rule of law,” ASUU said, adding that by his action, “Oshimhole has lost all claims to his outdated toga of Comrade Governor.”
The ASUU Zonal Coordinator, therefore, appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Edo State Governor to retrace his steps and show respect for the laws of the land by bringing himself and his office under the powers of the court.
To this end, he urged Governor Oshimhole to keep his promise and compensate the staff of the Unviersity of Benin whose rights had been flagrantly violated by the demolition exercise.
Sese further noted that ASUU would not hesitate to take all necessary legal actions to ensure that justice was done to the affected members of the union in the university, stressing that “history will not be kind to the governor if he rejects the opportunity being offered for him to redeem himself.”
Donatus Ebi
