ASUU Refutes Claims of Reinstatement of Victimized Staff at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma
The Ambrose Alli University (AAU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has refuted claims by the university administration that unpaid staff members have been reinstated to the payroll and compensated for salaries owed for up to 34 months.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma Chapter, has dismissed claims by the university authorities that several victimized staff members have been reinstated to the university's payroll and paid their long-overdue salaries.
In a rejoinder signed by Dr. Cyril Onogbosele and Dr. William Odion, Chairman and Assistant Secretary of ASUU AAU Chapter respectively, the union labeled the university's report as false, deceptive, and provocative. The university, in a bulletin dated November 6, 2024, had claimed that affected staff members had been reinstated and received owed salaries spanning several months.
ASUU described the publication as a ploy by the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Sunday Olowo, and the Dr. Frank Omo-Ehijele Odafen-led Governing Council to mask the ongoing victimization of staff, a practice allegedly initiated during the administration of former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki and the disbanded Special Intervention Team (SIT).
The union stated that numerous staff members had been denied salaries for up to 34 months without justification. "There are no cases of misconduct against the affected staff to warrant such treatments," ASUU said, highlighting that these staff members continue to perform their academic and statutory duties diligently.
ASUU also criticized the administration’s refusal to restore deductions and remittances of union dues, halted since March 2022 under former Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sonnie Adagbonyin. The union alleged that over ₦27 million in unremitted dues, covering September 2020 to November 2021, remains unpaid.
Additionally, the union challenged the university’s claims of a properly constituted Governing Council, pointing out irregularities in the election of internal members, particularly representatives of the Senate and Convocation. They argued that the current council is not fully constituted, a matter repeatedly raised in correspondence with the university administration.
ASUU has called on the university to prioritize truth, justice, and fairness in resolving these lingering issues. The union also urged the Edo State Government and the public to intervene, warning that the administration’s actions could exacerbate industrial disharmony within the institution.
