FG Didnt Give ASUU Ultimatum – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has
weekend, said his government did
not give the Academic Staff Union
of Universities, ASUU, an ultimatum
to resume work or be sacked.
Fielding questions from newsmen
at the expanded caucus meeting of
the Bayelsa State Peoples
Democratic Party held at
Government House, Yenagoa, the
President said, the Supervising
Minister of Education only passed
on the decision of the Committee of
Vice Chancellors.
“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.”
Jonathan also said the strike
embarked upon by the ASUU was
no longer a trade dispute , but a
subversive action.
He 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 was 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 authorities 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 should state the reason for
that.”
“But despite the fact that I had the
longest meeting with ASUU in my
political history, we did not start
that meeting until around 2:00pm
and the meeting ended the next day
in the early hours. As far as the
government of Nigeria was
concerned, 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 are extreme and
when Iyayi died, they now said the
strike was now indefinite, our
children have been at home for
over five months.”