The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been advised to stop their members from serving as poll returning officers to guard agauinst in rigging elections.
The traditional ruler of Atta Community in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, Eze Geo Anika gave the advice while addressing newsmen in Owerri, the state capital.
He also advised Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop engaging university lecturers in election matters.
This, he said, would help to save the good image of the union and her members.
He said there was nothing actually bad to engage university lecturers for INEC jobs, but the wrong thing is to use them as returning officers to announce false election results.
The royal father expressed concern about the strike declared by ASUU which had lingered for a long time.
Anika said the stopping lecturers from election duty would help save the good names of university lecturers, who are known as character moulders, and moralists who are not supposed to be involved in dirty jobs, such as election rigging.
He regretted a situation where the class of people who are looked upon as character moulders and moralists would succumb to the pressure of politicians to rig elections in favour of those who did not win.
According to him,”This is why Nigerians are suffering today, including ASUU members. ASUU is reaping what they soared’.
He observed with dismay that many lecturers in Nigeria are leaving the country to secure jobs abroad, where they will be treated better.
He described the development as dangerous, both to the students and the nation.
ASUU has been on strike in the past six months owing to the failure of the federal government to implement agreement it reached with the union in 2009.
Officials of government have given indications that the agreement is un-implementable
