A pressure group, the Nigerian Patriotic Advocates (NPA) has condemned the demand by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for the resignation of the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede.

According to the organisation, the conduct of ASUU is fast becoming a national embarrassment to the nation's academia because it was not sincere.

The NPA said while intellectuals in saner clines have been known for their sound judgment built on unbiased and selfish mind, the case had been different with ASUU which had written four petitions against Oloyede.

Recently, a civil rights movement, the Joint Action Coalition of Civil Society Organization for Transparency in Governance, had condemned ASUU’s demand, which, it said, was for selfish reasons.

The Chairman of ASUU, University of Ibadan chapter, Dr Deji Omole, had claimed that the registration problems being experienced by candidates for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination, were a major setback, which could jeopardise the ambition of candidates.

While calling on the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to prevail on Oloyede not to make life difficult for children eager for higher education, he said the registration procedure introduced by JAMB as cumbersome.

But the NPA in a statement by its National President, Prof. Emmanuel Goza and Public Relations Officer, Otunba Adeniyi Jones, said from its persistent attack on JAMB, it was obvious that ASUU had a mission to discredit Oloyede's good intentions.

The call for the resignation of Oloyede, NPA said, was strange especially coming from a group that had clearly shown that they have personal grudges to settle with him.

NPA said: “Although Nigerians have tremendous respect for ASUU, recent events from Ibadan branch are worrisome, moreso that the same group purporting to be representing ASUU has shortly after the Registrar was appointed, written over four petition against Oloyede, his son and the University of Ilorin. And in all cases, situations and circumstances, they were proven wrong. Now, they have found another past time in the registration process of JAMB to ventilate their personal vendetta.

“This same group has virtually called for the resignation of everybody that has anything to do with education including the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan.

The attitude of ASUU in UI is fast becoming a joke. Even in comedy, when you keep repeating a joke over and over, your audience will get bored. The attitude of the Ibadan branch of ASUU is fast becoming a national embarrassment to the academia.

“Intellectuals anywhere in the world are known for sound judgment built on unbiased and selfish mind. However, the opposite is the case with our comrades in Ibadan. The kind of press releases being churned out from Ibadan speaks to the contrary.

Transformation is always a product that undergoes many stages of refinement and what is happening in JAMB should be seen as one. Great leaders take steps and directions that are mostly not familiar to all. But they end up producing glorious and profound results.”

NPA expressed optimism that Oloyede had the pedigree to deliver on the mandate given to him by the Federal Government.

The NPA called on all Nigerians, including ASUU Ibadan, to bury whatever difference they may have for the sake of education, because examination in Nigeria “is a serious business that requires the support of all.”

“Information reaching us clearly showed that the process put in place by JAMB are meant to curb malpractice, we call on JAMB to strengthen them to eliminate some of the hues and cries associated with these beautiful innovations especially at the early stage of the registration.

“A responsibly group should first call for support, rather than resorting to using the position of ASUU to settle personal scores. From records available to us, the JAMB Registrar has demonstrated prudence in the management of its funds through internal capacity especially in the area of ICT where he has saved billions for Nigeria. We are supporting him because of his known pedigree in the areas of accountability, transparency and anti corruption posture,” NPA emphasised.

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