Abeokuta — The striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned the Federal Government on the planned implementation of the "no work no pay" rule following total collapse of negotiation with the union.

The National President of the union, Prof. Ukachakwu Awuzie who gave the warning on a radio phone-in programme monitored in Abeokuta yesterday said ASUU would not allow Nigerian universities to be turned into glorified secondary schools. He contended that the position of the Presidency did not tally with the realities on ground, saying the implementation of the "no work no pay" rule would only prolong the varsity closure.

Awuzie further said the much talked about Autonomy Act consented to by government only gave powers to the governing councils to appoint but was silent on financial independence. "This, the government is very much aware, so they should just stop playing politics with the issue at hand. We shall continue to be on the path of truth and nothing but the truth," the ASUU President stated. On the support given by the 36 state governments to the Federal Government to suspend further negotiations with the union, the chairman of the Olabisi Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Ogun State branch of ASUU Dr. Nasir Adesola remarked that the states were only being insincere with the pact.

He said some of the state governments were deliberately accepting the deal in order to give room to control their varsities, saying, "This will have negative effects on the system as some of the best hands will leave the states for better appointments. As it happening now, where some of our members are moving away from OOU, the states will be most hit as credible staff will be lost." The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) yesterday said that the impeachment of the Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Muhammed Garba Gadi, is illegal and contempt of court.

Gadi was yesterday impeached by the State House of Assembly, after months of controversies that trail moves to impeach him for refusing to defect from the ANPP to the peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with Governor Isa Yuguda.

National Publicity Secretary of the ANPP, Emma Eneukwu, told Daily Trust that Gadi was with the party's national officers at the presidential villa in a crucial meeting with President Umaru Yar'adua.

"The impeachment of the Bauchi Deputy Governor, Alhaji Muhammed Gadi is illegal, unconstitutional and a contempt of court; it is an effort in futility and in no distance future, the court would prove it," Eneukwu said.

He said that there is a pending case at the court besides an injunction restraining the state house of assembly from further action on the case till after its (court) determination.

He said, "We were together with the deputy governor this morning (yesterday) and he told us he has not been given any fair hearing. How can somebody be treated unjustly in this era of democracy and rule of law?"

He said that the party was at a meeting with President Yar'adua, along side Alhaji Gadi, to present the party's position on the state of affairs of the nation. "We expressed our displeasure on the level of insecurity, ASUU strike, power problem and electoral reform among others; the president told us what he has been doing to tackle the problems," Eneukwu said.