- From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin
A member of the Senate committee on education, Abubakar Bagudu, has condemned the sack threat issued by the federal government to the Academic Staff Union of University, ASUU, over the prolonged shutdown of public universities.
The federal government had announced December 9 as the extended compulsory date for the striking lecturers to reopen all institutions or be sacked.
But speaking with journalists in Ugbegun, Edo state, over the weekend, Bagudu said that issuing threats and deadlines to the lecturers was not the best way out of the problem.
He said his committee has been negotiating with members of the union and that the body has expressed commitment to uplift the education sector in the country.
“I condemn all provocative statements from whosoever. We are all Nigerians, ASUU members are Nigerians committed to the development of the Nigerian state. We have interacted with them, and they are committed to the uplift meant of the education sector along with others who are also committed to the sector. So, issuing threat by whosoever is condemnable,” he stated.
Bagudu, a former lecturer at the university of Sokoto, added that the Senate in a motion had addressed the issue and called for a show of maturity and statesmanship in handling the situation.
“I can assure that the Senate and the committee on education will do their best to get this issue resolved,” he assured.