FOLLOWING the remarks by the Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, that some Nigerian professors earn higher than the N500,000 he earns as a state governor, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, has said that fake news and propaganda have become the trademarks of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Fayemi, who is currently in France having accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari to the Paris Peace Summit, made the comments during the President’s interaction with Nigerians resident in the country.
He said ASUU must understand that they cannot get everything they are demanding from the federal government, adding that the Buhari-administration has done more for ASUU and the Nigerian Education sector.
“Ask yourself what was the average wage in the university system before. A university professor earns more than me as a governor. My salary as a governor is N500,000. Most university professors earn about the same amount if not more,” Fayemi said.
However, Deji Omole, Chairman of ASUU, University of Ibadan chapter, described Fayemi’s remarks as false, daring the Governor to return to the classroom as a lecturer if he feels professors earn better than he does.
“It is sad that someone living on state resources with his family and countless aides with juicy salaries will not be circumspect in thought,” Omole stated.
“Fake news and propaganda have been the trademark of the ruling APC. Fayemi’s utterances revealed the mental state of those ruling us.
“We challenge him to publish what a professor earns as salary and allowances and what governors earn and allowances.
“If lecturers earn more than governors, why did Fayemi run away? Fayemi should tell the world how much he spent on capital grants to EKSU during his first sojourn in office. Nigerians should ask him why he failed to pick up the appointment offered him as an associate lecturer by the University of Ibadan.
Omole clarified that “no newly promoted professor earns N500,000 monthly”, adding that a professor may earn that much “after 10 years of becoming a professor and this includes all allowances”.
He also reiterated that though ASUU members are demanding the backlogs of salary arrears owed them since 2010, the demand was not, and has never been the main issue for their agitation.
“We are more concerned with a revitalised University that is adequately funded to attract foreign scholars,” Omale said.
“Fayemi should attract an international professor and offer to pay him $1500 per month and let us see how many of them he can bring to Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the National President of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi, has said that the Union is willing to continue negotiating with the federal government in order to find a solution to the ongoing strike which began on November 5.
A meeting between representatives of ASUU and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, was scheduled for 1 pm on Thursday.