ASUU sacks FUTO chapter chairman

The Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) chapter chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Comrade Chinedu Ihejirika, has been sacked, Edugist has learnt.

It was gathered that Ihejirika and members of his cabinet were dismissed over failure to present the congress with financial reports for about two years.

Speaking in Owerri on Friday, the Acting chairman of the union, Comrade Frank Ojiako, alongside the Acting Secretary, Comrade Chinyere Onwachu, among other stakeholders, said the Ihejirika’s inactions are against the constitutional stipulation of quarterly presentation of the union.

“This is a serious constitutional breach that is both reprehensive and unacceptable.

“The treasurer of the union is the principal signatory to the ASUU FUTO bank accounts; it is a constitutional requirement that in the unforeseen absence of the treasurer, Congress should be convened to elect a new treasurer.

“The chairperson of the suspended exco has been unable to conduct an election to fill the vacant position of the office treasurer of the union who has been on leave of absence to the United States for the past one year,” Ojiako said.

He added: “In order to restore normalcy and safeguard our common patrimony, it, therefore, became necessary that the ASUU exco, as then constituted, should be constitutionally jettisoned, having outlived its usefulness. A congress was convened, and the lacklustre exco was unanimously suspended and a new exco appointed on an interim basis.

“We inform that a committee of elders, made of very eminent professors, have intervened to make peace. On our part, the acting executive has accepted their recommendations and is very desirous of peace in our highly revered citadel.”

Ihejirika, however, was yet to react to his sack as of reporting time.