The Chairman Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Ibadan Chapter, Dr Deji Omole has denied issuing any press release to any media house on increment of fees in 38 universities in Nigeria.
He described newspaper attribution of the report to ASUU as mischievous and devilish.
Dr Omole who expressed reservations at what he described as ‘junk journalism’ said he was never in Abuja and did not speak with any medium let alone issue any release concerning fees jack-up in varsities.
Omole said ASUU is a well coordinated union and places factual data in public domain in an incontrovertible manner and called on the Director General of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) which was quoted by dailies as the source of the news to investigate the matter and sanction appropriately.
Recall that ASUU was reported in some national dailies as having mentioned the names of 38 universities where fees have been increased by their administrations.
Omole who noted that he was shocked to the marrow when people called him about the news item noted that ASUU as a responsible pro-public education and masses union must not be linked to independent investigations conducted on education in Nigeria to make it authentic.
While stating that his comments on the second year anniversary of President Buhari was clear on poor funding and inadequate budgetary provisions for public education.
Omole maintained that both Federal and State governments in Nigeria continue to play politics with the lives of the teeming children of the masses by planning to deny them quality education.
“I need to place it on record that i was never in Abuja nor issued any press release to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) or any other news medium in Abuja has falsely presented to the public. Therefore, I do not know the sources of the figures quoted in the report. ASUU is a well coordinated union who will carry out incontrovertible research and present this to the public. It is the duty of journalists to carry out investigation and if you have done that why cant you state that to the public? Why must you link it to ASUU that never spoke to you? Is it because NAN is a federal institution and does want government to sanction them for stating the obvious? This is bad journalism practice. For me, my position remains that the the government has not lived up to the electioneering campaigns of funding public education. We shall continue to fight for the funding of public education and resist any attempt to deny children of the poor masses public education”
