Africa-Press – Nigeria. The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Taraba State University chapter has distanced itself from reports alleging that it participated in a meeting where the Vice Chancellor, Professor Sunday Paul Bako, was suspended.
A Taraba-based newspaper, had reported on Saturday that Governor Agbu Kefas suspended the Vice Chancellor and dissolved the university’s Governing Council.
The publication also claimed that representatives of ASUU, SSANU-TSU and members of the Governing Council were present at the meeting where the decision was reached.
However, reacting in a statement issued on Sunday, ASUU-TSU Chairman, Dr. Joshua Garba Mbave, described the report as false, misleading and malicious.
According to him, the union was neither invited nor participated in any meeting with the Taraba State Government where the purported suspension or dissolution was discussed.
“ASUU wishes to unequivocally state that at no time was the union invited to, nor did it participate in, any meeting with the Taraba State Government where such decisions were taken or discussed. Any report suggesting otherwise is false, misleading, malicious and capable of bringing the union into disrepute,” the statement read.
Dr. Mbave stressed that the establishment, governance, appointment and removal of principal officers of Taraba State University are guided by Law No. 4 of 2008, which established the institution.
He explained that the law outlines clear procedures for the appointment and removal of principal officers and does not grant unilateral powers to any authority to suspend a principal officer, dissolve the Governing Council, or appoint a Sole Administrator.
“Any action taken outside these statutory provisions is ultra vires, null and void, and of no effect,” he said.
The union demanded an immediate retraction and public apology from the media organization for allegedly misrepresenting ASUU as being part of the said meeting.
ASUU-TSU further clarified that its ongoing dispute with the Taraba State Government is unrelated to the reported suspension. The union listed its outstanding grievances to include the absence of a functional pension scheme for university staff, non-payment of outstanding 2022 salaries, accumulated Earned Academic Allowances, EAA, and the implementation of the newly negotiated 2025 ASUU–FGN Agreement, which took effect from January 1, 2026.
The chairman noted that these issues have been formally communicated to the state government and called on governor Kefas to address them urgently to restore industrial harmony and resume academic activities.
He also expressed concern that within two years, the government had set up two separate staff screening and verification committees, as well as a Visitation Panel, yet their reports have neither been made public nor implemented.
“This failure has left the university community in a state of uncertainty and raises serious questions as to why government has refused or neglected to act on the outcomes of its own investigative mechanisms,” Mbave said.
He cautioned against dragging the union into matters it neither endorsed nor participated in, insisting that ASUU’s demands remain lawful and focuse on safeguarding the integrity, autonomy and stability of the university.
Mbave added that prompt and sincere attention to the union’s demands is necessary to resolve the ongoing industrial dispute and reopen the university for teaching, learning and research activities.
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