Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam, Anambra State, Prof Alphonsus Aniebo on Thursday refuted report alleging his dismissal as the Dean, Faculty of Agriculture in the institution.
Aniebo said he only served out his tenure after three years in office.
The ASUU boss was said to have been relieved of his appointment following his refusal to heed the management directives to discontinue with the industrial action.
He said, “The university appointment are tenured, is not an indefinite office. I think I’ve served my tenure. It’s not a permanent job. What is permanent in the university is that you’re a lecturer and you’ll continue to teach and graduate your students.
“Headship and Deanship are all on appointment. My case was peculiar because the elected dean died. To avoid vacuum, the VC graciously appointed me to hold on the office.
“I’ve done that and the period I’ve lasted in the office I’ve done what I think I can do for the faculty, including its full accreditation. Appointment in the university is for one year. You can only continue on renewal. But I’ve stayed more than two years.
He confirmed the repeated occasions he was disallowed from gaining entrance into the university by the university security.
“When they accosted me, I told them they were wrong, that if they feel I should not be allowed to enter as the chairman of ASUU, they should put it in writing,” he added.
Describing as a university management meeting a recent press conference called by a section of lecturers of the institution where they announced they had backed out from the ASUU strike, Aniebo said the briefing was sponsored by the Vice Chancellor, and chaired by his deputy, Prof. Ekwenze.
He stressed that the pronouncement by the convener of the conference was not a representation of the ASUU chapter of the institution, insisting that it had not bowed to any pressure nor suspended the ongoing national strike.
“The false claim by Prof. Chiaghanam is indeed an insult on the psyche of the entire staff of COOU who are silently licking the wound of long time neglect of the university.
“The desperate actions of the VC was capable of undermining the inflow of huge intervention funds from the federal government to the institution,” he added.
