ASUU accuses Babalakin of sabotaging talks with Fed Govt

THE Kano Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)  yesterday accused the Federal Government Renegotiating Team Chairman, Dr. Wale Babalakin, of masterminding the collapse of the 2017-2018 renegotiation between ASUU and the Federal Government.

During a news conference at Bayero University Kano (BUK) ASUU secretariat, its zonal coordinator, Mahmud Muhammad Lawan, alleged that Babalakin disregarded the cardinal principles of collective bargaining between ASUU and Federal Government.

He said: “You may recall that renegotiation between our union and the Federal Government team commenced in March, 2017 with a promise by the Minister of Education that the exercise is expected to be completed within six weeks.

“Sadly, after more than 16 months of fruitless negotiation, our union  had to pull out due to the unwarranted arrogance of the Federal Government Renegotiation Team, in the person of Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN).

“The chairman has deliberately disagreed the cardinal principles of collective bargaining. Delayed the process, relegated the other members of the FG team to the background and arrogated to himself the power of decision-making in matters that should be collectively debated and agreed upon by the parties to the renegotiation.”

He lamented that, “for over 16 months of negotiation, discussions have focused on funding with Babalakin insistence on the introduction of tuition regime and Education Bank as a must for public universities in Nigeria”.

Lawan, however, described tuition regime and Education Bank system as unacceptable.