VCs Sack: Coalition Withdraws Law Suit Against FG

By Tunde Oguntola

— Mar 29, 2016 5:50 am | Leave a comment

The executive council members of the Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CCSG) have decided to withdraw a suit filed against the Federal Ministry of Education in respect of the sack of the 13 vice chancellors from the Industrial Court, as a mark of respect and show of solidarity to President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP signed by the president CCSG, Mr Etuk Bassey Williams it said: “This is our own way of saying thank you to President Buhari for yielding to the voices of several stakeholders who appealed to you to revisit your decision, which though taken in good faith but known to all Nigerians to be predicated on the wrong counsel of the minister of education.’’

It would be recalled that President Buhari apologised for dissolving the governing councils of universities along with the boards of parastatal agencies.

President Buhari who offered the apology during the National Executive Council meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja said the decision was regretted.

The CCSG said there was nothing wrong in saying sorry and going back on a wrong decision.

“While the decision to reverse an action that was taken in error is highly commendable, it is noteworthy that the constant embarrassment brought to your government by those who believe that it is still business as usual should be addressed, so that it can serve as deterrent to others.

“This is one embarrassment too many by charlatans who are yet to  understand that this change which is sweeping through all facets of the Nigerian society has truly come to stay.”

The statement recalled that almost the same scenario played out when some public officials thought that it was business as usual tried to  pad the 2016 budget, which was promptly exposed by the National

Assembly and in turn incurred the wrath of the presidency.

“The CCSG was the first to call your attention to this error through the office of the Minister of Education when this decision was first taken as we observed that your action was predicated upon an ill-conceived advice,” the statement added.