A meeting to resolve the ongoing impasse between Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU) and the Ebonyi Government ended in a deadlock on Tuesday, with either side blaming the other.

Academic activities at the Ebonyi State University have been suspended for some time.

Emmanuel Osedeke, National Vice-President, Academics of ASUU, said the delegation was disappointed with the reaction of the state governor, who is the visitor to the university.

“We came to discuss issues such as the university’s governing council which was dissolved about two months ago and has not been reconstituted.

“We are not smiling after this meeting because the visitor allowed minor issues of personalities to override the main issues we raised.

“This is the reason for the deadlock as the visitor was busy talking about the university’s ASUU chairman whom he calls a boy and claims he was insulting him.

“The visitor said that he would therefore, not relate with the university’s ASUU chairman and we don’t know what next to come,” he said.

He said that delegation would, however, discuss the development at its congress on January 20 and brief its national body for decisions to be taken.

“The visitor also repeated his threats on the university’s’ ASUU chairman, claiming that he would be held responsible for anything that happens,” he said.

Onyebuchi Chima, the commissioner for education in Ebonyi, on his part, said that the governor did not threaten anyone and did not back out from the negotiations.

“The delegation should approach the university’s leadership to get the correct facts before meeting with its visitor,” he said.

He added that neither the state ministry of education nor the office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Higher Education was aware of the delegation’s visit and faulted such an arrangement.

“No people will own the state more than us as the governor is working hard to develop all areas of the state, including education which I head,” he said. 

(NAN)