Some members of the union had visited the politician who reportedly gave them some palliative to share and also urged them to shelf the ongoing strike.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has vowed to punish members for collecting palliatives from Senator Orji Uzor Kalu due to its ongoing strike.
ASUU fingered the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, MOUAU chapter of the association over the matter.
Some members of the union had visited the politician who reportedly gave them some palliative to share and also urged them to shelf the ongoing strike.
MOUAU ASUU, however, has immediately disassociated itself from such meeting and deliberation saying it was unaware of the invitation and will hence punish members who availed themselves at Kalu’s premises to collect some palliative.
The union, in a statement issued on Thursday, August 25, 2022, in Umuahia, stressed that it never authorised such a meeting.
In the statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Professor Michael Ugwuene, and Secretary, Paul Nwiyi, the branch vowed to probe the said visit and discipline those found culpable.
It said: “ASUU MOUAU hereby dissociates itself from the aforementioned visit and the consequent palliative sharing,” the statement said.
“The attention of ASUU MOUAU has been drawn to reports in the media about the visit by some academic staff of MOUAU to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu at his Igbere home, where according to the reports, the striking lecturers” were given palliatives and enjoined to end the strike.
“The public is hereby enjoined to take notice that ASUU MOUAU was not aware of, was not invited, and did not authorize or approve any such visit and did not request for, neither did it receive any palliatives from Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
“ASUU MOUAU, hereby assures the National Executive Council of ASUU that the branch is investigating the visit and the members of the branch found culpable shall be subjected to the disciplinary process of the union.”
The academic union had in a separate statement, rejected the proposed 35 per cent and 25 per cent salary increase for professors and other ranks, respectively.