BY Felix Osemwengie Isere,Esq.
What is the happening in Edo State today is a tragedy that is not only destroying our precious institutions that have been our pride for years, but also destroying the future of Edo People. The current Government has always been justifying their illegality and abuse of power on the fact that Oshiomhole did the same,but we all have now discovered Oshiomhole was actually a saint compared to what we are seeing today.
The new Law Purportedly passed by Edo State House of Assembly yesterday empowering the governor to run Ambrose Alli University as a sole administrator has automatically empowered him to become the Vice Chancellor of the University,The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Administration and Academics. The new law has empowered him to be the Bursar and supercedes the entire management of the University.
The new law has made him the sole Chairman and member of the University Governing Council,including making him the Chairman and member of the Senate of the university.
E shock you?
The new law has automatically given him power to appoint even Deans of faculty and HOD of departments, even appointing SUG leaders, faculty heads, department and class representatives. The law has given him the power to sack members of ASUU who are on strike, this is actually the main target of the university
Alternatively, the law has also given him an option to employ consultants who are not members of the university to run the university like he is using them to do basically in all Government establishment in Edo State today.
While Obaseki is already been burdened and overwhelmed by governance because of his failure to appoint Commissioners and Government officials to assist him to run the Government,including conducting local government election,he has also now added the responsibility of running Ambrose Alli University to his responsibility. Congratulations to him.
The long term goal the governor intends to achieve by this action is to ensure that AAU is closed down or destroyed because NUC will not fold their hands to allow a University that has a standard of operation be turn into a different thing. The governor and the legislature who assisted him to achieve this selfish aim refused to do research of operation of university and the NUC rules guiding the establishment of University in Nigeria because to them,the governor has absolute power to do anything.
No university in Nigeria can award any degree if the Senate headed by the Vice Chancellor of a University is not in place. The governor of any State cannot also the the Vice Chancellor of a university through sole administratorship neither can he appoint Consultants to do that for him. That Law on the University is a travesty, it is illegal and undemocratic. Does it not beat your imagination that such a sensitive law did not even go through any public hearing? Nobody was even aware of the hearings by the house . What do we expect when the house of Assembly is now an extension of government house ? How can they check the excesses of the executive.
Obaseki knows more than everybody in Edo State, he now also know more than all the Professors, Doctors and all lecturers in AAU. This wa how he destroyed college of Education Ekiadolor,this was how he destroyed college of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi. Himself and his supporters will always tell you his action is for the best interest of Edo State. They will tell you action action is for the best interest of the university. They will tell you everybody in the university is corrupt and ASUU members are now being used by the opposition,that is why he had to do what he did. They are good in grandstanding
They always have excuse for his illegality, abuse of power and dictatorship. Rather for him to just pay ASUU their salary and invest in the university,he wants to show them he has power. He does not believe in discussion but crushing people with his power. He is always right,while everybody is always wrong. He is the only one who is incorruptible, intelligent,wise and effective. He is the only one who has genuine intention.
The governor failed to still realise that he has less than four years in power. My advice for the current student of the university is to pray to God to help them or have a PLAN B because any degree awarded under this new law will be invalid,while those who are planing to seek admission into the university should start thinking of another option. The university is not a political environment, it is a place established and regulated by both State and Federal Government. MAY GOD HELP US.
I RISE!