President Goodluck Jonathan has said the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), since July 1 over the non Implementation of a 2009 agreement with the federal government was no longer trade dispute but subversive action.
President Jonathan stated this at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state caucus meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa, presided over by the State party Chairman, Col Samuel Inokoba (rtd).
The President was reacting to a plea by the former governor of the state, Dipreye Alamieyesigha, on the December 4th deadline given to ASUU to call off the strike or be sacked.
Alamieyesigha noted that the same date was fixed for the burial of late Professor Festus Iyayi, who died in an accident in Kogi State on November 12th, enroute Kano for the National Executive Council (NEC), meant to deliberate on the latest government’s offer after meeting with President Jonathan on November 4th to the wee hours of November 5th.
The former governor who is also the Chairman of Elders Advisory Forum in the state, urged the President to reconsider the date in order not to be seen as insensitive, though the action of ASUU was worrisome.
President Jonathan said despite holding the longest meeting in his political career with all the highest officers in his administration present including the Vice President, Minister of Finance, Minister of Labour, Minister of Justice, the Secretary to the Government and the delegation from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), ASUU did not deem it fit to reconsider their stance.
Jonathan said, “What ASUU is doing is no longer trade union. I have intervened in other labour issues before now, once I invite them they respond and after the meeting they take decision and call off the strike. At times we don’t even give them a long notice unlike in the case of ASUU that were given four days notice before the meeting.
As you are meeting to resolve trade disputes, you expect the trade unions to get their officials ready, what was expected having met with the highest authority in the land for long hours, was for ASUU to immediately issue statement within 12 or latest 24 hours to state their position whether they were accepting government’s offer or not. And if they are not accepting they state the reason why.
“But despite the fact that I had the longest meeting with ASUU in my political history, we did not start that meeting until around 2 p.m. and the meeting ended the next day in the early hours of the morning. As far as the government of Nigeria was concern all the critical people that should be in a meeting were there, so what else do they want?
“After that they didn’t meet until one week, despite the fact that you met with the highest authority. It was unfortunate one of them, Prof. Iyayi died.
“The way ASUU has conducted the matter shows they were extreme and when Iyayi died they now said the strike was now indefinite, our children have been at home for over five months.
“We didn’t give them ultimatum it was the Committee of Vice Chancellors that took that decision, the supervising minister of education only passed on the decision. What ASUU is doing is no longer trade dispute but subversive action.
“But like you rightly noted so that we will not be perceived to be insensitive, we will consult on the deadline.”
The Federal Government had on Thursday given ASUU one week ultimatum to call off strike or consider themselves sacked”.
President Jonathan had also used the occasion to thank the Bayelsa people for their prayers and support while ill in London and hospitalised for five days.
He also used the occasion to hammer on the need for stakeholders to be united, stressing that the key to political success was the unity of the people and that divided people bring about a lot of issues.
He further noted most of the states where PDP lost elections was as a result of division within the party. “Any state the PDP is united, it will win elections. I thank you for the unity in the state”.
The President expressed happiness that the state was no longer experiencing division among party stakeholders as was the order of the day before the coming of Dickson.
Jonathan said, “I’m happy that the division in other states PDP is not here. The unity is not automatic because as vice president I knew what I passed through.
“This is the first time this dichotomy among Abuja politicians and stakeholders in the state has been removed, and I’m grateful and I am happy the governor is leading it. I’m glad that that deadly virus has been killed.
“I’m against imposition though I am a leader of the party, but I believe I need to negotiate and consult for any appointment.
“If you disconnect from the grassroot then you are gone as a politician and I thank you (the governor) for making this happen”.
The President also commended Dickson for the physical development and the unity brought into the polity of the state. “Before now militancy and cultism was the order of the day, Bayelsa was not safe but with Dickson coming on board, that is no longer happening. Bayelsa was so unsafe that the small hotels were abandoned, this peace and unity is very important to me.
“Any former governor who does not want his successor to surpass him must be a witch. Spending the night in a local government in what you call a thank-you-tour will challenge the local government chairmen to develop the area to accommodate dignitaries. They will note that our local government headquarters are mini cities that must be developed”, he said.
In his remarks, Dickson commended President Jonathan’s deep interest in the state caucus and making out time despite his tight schedule to be part of it, where issues affecting the party are discussed and solutions found.
He said the message from the thank you tour is that of support, solidarity for the party, President Jonathan and with those who believe in what is right and what is fair.
He also noted that the President was no longer contending with needless distraction from his own state, adding “those days are gone and gone for goods”.
He called for more understanding, solidarity “in view of the times we are in. I urge stakeholders to be supporters and not detractors. Be supporters in your actions and your words.
“We know the plans of our detractors, anybody who is not a friend to our president is not a friend to us”, he said.
The caucus moved motion that they were very proud of their leader the President and urge him to carry on no matter the distractions. They commended him for remaining undaunted and doing things never done before in the history of Nigeria in terms of development. “We support him and will continue to do so, the first South South president is doing well, and we hope other parts will do same so that he will continue to support him”.
The party chairman Inokoba, had described the G7 governors as the voices of anarchy who are out to destroy what the nation’s founding fathers started, expressing happiness that such elements were squashed in Bayelsa State before they reared their ugly head.
He urged all stakeholders in the state to continue to support the president as he faces the daunting task of ruling the country as well as the governor.
Alamieyesigha described PDP defection to an opposition party as “a national embarrassment and time has come for national party to take action to nip future occurrence in the board”.
Others present at the meeting were the Deputy Governor John Jonah, members of National Assembly from the State, members of state assembly, members of State Executive of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Deputy National Chairman.
