ASUU Demands Isa Yuguda’s Apology, Resignation as NOUN’s Pro-Chancellor

*Questions his competence, integrity, commitment to nation building, national security

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has demanded the immediate resignation of a former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, as Governing Council Chairman of the National Open University.

This followed his statements at a recent public hearing held at the National Assembly, on the conversion of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, from that of Technology to a conventional one.

The union, in taking this hardline position, questioned Yuguda’s competence, integrity and commitment to nation-building and national security.

Speaking at a press briefing yesterday at the Union’s Secretariat in Bauchi, the Chairperson, ASUU, ATBU Bauchi Branch, Dr. Angulu Haruna, quoted Yuguda, at the end of the public hearing while addressing the media, as saying: “any person who is against turning the University into a conventional University is a criminal.”

He said the Union found the outbursts of Yuguda, a former Minister of Aviation, against a system he has been entrusted to superintend, by President Bola Tinubu, as disappointing and raised questions about his competence, integrity and commitment for nation-building and national security.

“Malam Isa Yuguda while addressing the media criminalised 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 criminalise people who exercise their rights in a legislative procedure.

“Moreso, 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,” he said.

He declared that: “It is against this backdrop that our Union is calling on Malam Isah Yuguda to publicly withdraw his statement and quietly resign from his position as Chairman of the Governing  Council of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). You cannot preside over system you hold with such disappointing contempt.”