ASUU advises UniJos to appeal N5m judgement against its staff, Longdu’ut

By Moses Mark

The University of Jos chapter of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) has advised the University management to file an appeal challenging the recent judgement against one of its staff, Mr Thaddeus Longdu’ut.

Chairman of the Union in the university Dr Lazarus Maigoro gave the advice in a statement issued on Sunday in Jos.

Longdu’ut is a lecturer with the Department of Economics of the institution.

According to Maigoro, the judgment was meted on the lecturer and school management for lack of adequate information and evidence before the court.

It would be recalled that, Justice M.H. Kurya of a Jos High Court ruled that Longduut and the management of the university should pay Mrs Georgina Davou N5.1 million as general and exemplary damages following a suit filled by Davou against Longdu’ut over victimisation that hindered her graduation from the post graduate programme.

The judge also ordered that Davou be reinstated, adding that the school should change her supervisor and ensure the final defence of her thesis is done within reasonable time.

But Maigoro said the court acted on the lean evidence presented to it, adding that Davou was withdrawn from the department over poor academic performance.

He explained that Davou failed 21 out of the 36 credit units she registered as required by the programme, adding that she was also not forthcoming in her disertation .

“The attention of ASUU UniJos has been drawn to a court judgement awarding N5 million against Mr Thaddeus Longdu’ut, a lecturer with the department of Economics which is being circulated in the media.

“Londu’ut is our member and as a union we deem it necessary to make clarifications in the light of this judgement and put the records strait so that the general public will not be misinformed.

”ASUU always insist on its members displaying the highest level of integrity in the discharge of their responsibilities. The union also does not spare erring members where they are found wanting in any matter to maintain its integrity and where they are unjustly treated, our union owe it to them to defend them and also protect its name.

“Given the above, the union is obliged to put the records straight irrespective of what the court judgement represents which was probably largely due to lack of information from the department and the school of postgraduate studies on the status of the student.

“Available information on the student from the department indicates that Davouw with matriculation Number UJ/2014/PGSS/03340 was a student in the department of Economics but was withdrawn from the M.Sc.
programme in the department because of so many reasons

” She registered 36 credit units as required by the Department. She passed 15 credit units and failed 21 credit units based on the result approved by the department, school of postgraduate studies board and the executive approval.

“It is in the light of the above and many other reasons, we are calling on the university management to appeal the judgement in order to clear its reputation and that of Longdu’ut,”Maigoro called.
The chairman added that the appeal would further clear the name of the union, insisting that the action of Davou was aimed at smearing its reputation as well.

He urged the management to carry out an in-depth investigation in both the department and the school of post graduate to gather more facts before going for appeal.