Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) at the University of Ibadan on Thursday declared that Senate of the University has no power to punish its members.
On Wednesday, some Senate members threatened to punish SSANU and NASU members who participated in a protest against the ongoing selection process of the University last Wednesday.
But, SSANU and NASU in their reaction insisted that the Senate has no right to dabble into union matters.
SSANU Chairman, Mr. Wale Akinremi who spoke on behalf of the two unions at a press conference held at the University, remarked that Senate role is purely academic.
He described those who threatened to punish the union members as idle individuals.
“The responsibility of Senate is purely academic but not union matters. We want the federal government to pay academic staff because idleness is affecting them.
“Senate has no right to sit on our matters. They don’t have right to sit on our matters”.
Akinremi, while speaking further said that what happened at the emergency meeting was not a true representation of UI Senate.
“That is not true representation of UI Senate. It is shallow. That shows that they have lost it. We have over 600 members of Senate and only 188 attended the meeting. They don’t have right to sit on our right.
“We will not use our energy to address what they said. We can’t take them seriously. It is not a reflection of the University of Ibadan Senate.
“Those people who sat at Senate on Wednesday are unserious people, anti-people. When was the last time they discussed about the management of UI?
“The idle people that sat yesterday are not discussing strike. We will not use our energy to discuss what people who are not discussing ASUU strike are saying.
“All Nigerians have a say in the public facility. We have right to say something on UI VC. Those people are mentally idle”.
