STRIKING MAPOLY STAFF GOES DIABOLICAL OVER MASS SACK THREAT

Striking staffers  of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic,(MAPOLY),Abeokuta over alleged plot to sack them by Transition Committee in-charge of conversion of the institution to university on Wednesday resulted into diabolical measure for the threat to passover them.

The entire  workforce of the institution converged at the main entrance  to further registered their grievances  and were seen with fetish pots chanting incantation against the alleged proposed move to sack them.

However, It would be recalled that, leadership of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics,ASUP, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic held a congress on Tuesday and resolved to embark on indefinite strike over the controversial issue.

Led by Comrade Kola Abiola,the union also called for dissolution of Prof Peter Okebukola led transition committee, and declared all the members persona non grata.

At the congress,the workers declared that,they would resist all attempt to sack them and re-apply for the jobs while and when the university takes off.

But in a swift reaction, Prof Peters Okebukola has denied the allegation‎ adding that the committee has not issue any document or instruction to anybody on the issues being raised by the Union.

Our correspondent report that,at the protest, the workers profusely rained curses on the committee,using fetish materials and incantations to support ‎their wishes.

The leadership of the combined unions used the occasion to speak to workers to remain committed in resisting the committee’s alleged sack plot.

In similar vein, students leadership of the institution  joined their lecturers in support of the protest, as the protesters set a bonfire at the protest scene. They were also singing solidarity song in support of the protest.

The chairman of ASUP, Comrade Kola Abiola quoted section 27-31 subsection 2 of bill signed into law by the governor to upgrade the polytechnic to university status,to further buttress their claims and justified their actions.

He pointed out part of the sections, which reads,’ that the council,academic board,rector,deputy rector,registrar,bursar,libarian, head of departments,members of board of studies or any other authority or body of the polytechnic immediately before the appointed date shall as from the appointed day be deemed to have been appointed,elected,nominated or otherwise elected thereto as the case maybe under or by virtue of this law and shall continue in such office until replaced by any provision or arrangement made or deemed to have been made in that behalf.

Also speaking, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUP, Zone C in charge of South West, Olawale Adetunji Omobaorun said the action of the lecturers has the backing and the blessing of the National body.

He argued that the government and the Committee does not recognised the right and interest of the major stakeholders in their decision, stressing “they are not ready to listen to the plight of the stakeholders that has built the institution

Omobaorun said “Committee and government has refuse to give recognition to the plight of major stakeholders and our interest is not their interest. We say no to slave trading in the land of the black”.

The State President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Balogun Olawale described the allege directive as wrong, saying the government should be considerate.

Olawale said the action has resulted in the grounded of academic activities, saying they will not support anything that would prolong academic calendar of the institution.

He urged the state government to intervene in the matter before it get out of hands.