Abuja — National Secretariat of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, has suspended the association's Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, branch for alleged gross misconduct, insubordination and indiscipline.

The suspension order was conveyed in a letter dated August 15, and signed by Mr. Promise Adewusi, the association's National General Secretary.

The letter, a copy which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja, yesterday, was addressed to the OAU branch chairman, Mr. A.O. Oketunde.

It said the decision to suspend the branch was reached at the emergency meeting of SSANU's National Administrative Committee, at the association's National Secretariat in Abuja on August 15.

He said: "After deliberating on the face-off between the OAU management and the SSANU OAU branch, it was observed that the latter's executive body has violated Article 23 sub (i) of our constitution. The article stipulates that, subject to any statutory law, members of the union shall not take part in any strike or in any way withhold their services from their employers without the express approval of NEC and union members as determined by a majority of votes of the members in a secret ballot."