The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may hold its postponed National Executive
Council (NEC) meeting on Friday to decide whether or not to suspend the
indefinite strike it began since July 2.
A top official of ASUU, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this
toDaily Independentin a telephone interview on Sunday.
He was, however, not certain if the
NEC will still be held at the Bayero University, Kano, BUK where it was initially
proposed to hold.
The leadership of the union
postponed the scheduled Kano NEC meeting following the demise of one its key
members, Festus Iyayi, who died last Tuesday in a ghastly motor accident on his
way to Kano for the postponed NEC meeting.
The source noted that the union
members are still grieved and are pre-occupied with the burial arrangement of
the late Professor of Business Administration, who died along the Abuja-Lokoja
highway in an accident caused by the convoy of Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada.
The source debunked speculations in
the social media that ASUU has jettisoned its NEC
indefinitely, saying the union postponed the NEC meeting as a mark of honour
and respect for the late Iyayi.
According to him, all ASUU officials that were supposed to participate
in the NEC meeting last week Wednesday had actually gathered at the Bayero University, Kano, BUK but for the unfortunate
accident which claimed the life of Iyayi and disrupted the agenda already set
for the meeting.
Meanwhile, Supervisory Minister of education, Nyesom Wike, also at the weekend led a
delegation of government on a condolence visit to the residence of the late
academician in Benin City.
Wike assured that the Federal Government would diligently implement all the agreements it reached with ASUU in the course of the negotiations with President Goodluck Jonathan.
Wike assured that the Federal Government would diligently implement all the agreements it reached with ASUU in the course of the negotiations with President Goodluck Jonathan.
Those in the delegation of the
minister include Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission
(NUC), Julius Okojie, and some top officials of Federal Ministry of education.
They also visited the injured ASUU. National Welfare Officer, Ngozi Iloh, who
is said to be responding to treatment at the University of Benin, UNIBEN Teaching Hospital,
Benin.
In a statement in Abuja on Sunday,
the Minister’s Special Assistant (Media), Simeon Nwakaudu, said Wike solicited
the permission of the family to allow the Federal Government participate in the
burial ceremony of the former ASUU president.
“President Goodluck Jonathan and the
entire administration are deeply pained by the sudden death of the former ASUU National President who played a key part in
the negotiations between ASUU and the Federal Government.
“We recall the significant
contributions of Professor Iyayi during the 13-hour negotiations between
President Jonathan and ASUU, which led to a
headway in the discussions.
“I want to assure the family that
the ideals that the late scholar fought and died for will never be forgotten.
The Federal Government will diligently implement the decisions reached in the
course of negotiations with ASUU.
“The Federal Ministry of education wishes to be a part of the burial of
this erudite scholar and we seek the permission of the family to participate in
the burial. I pray God to grant the family the strength to bear this
unfortunate loss,” Wike was quoted to have said.
Oriabure Iyayi, son of the late ASUU president, was said to have thanked
President Jonathan, the Minister of education and all Nigerians for commiserating
with the family at their moment of grief.
A relative of the deceased, Prof.
Robert Ebiwele, informed the minister that the burial will hold between
December 5 and 9.
He assured that the family would
inform the Federal Ministry of education on the burial
arrangements.
Source: Daily Independent Newspaper
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