By Edem Ekpo
Concerned members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Calabar (UNICAL) branch, have raised alarm over an alleged fraud involving the non-remittance of check-off dues amounting to about ₦138 million.
The controversy, which dates back to 2019, reportedly stems from the failure of the immediate past executive of the union, led by Dr. John Edor, to remit members’ deductions to the ASUU national body.
The alleged non-remittance prompted the national leadership of ASUU to suspend the UNICAL branch, a move that has left many lecturers aggrieved.
The matter has now been taken to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Calabar. It is registered as Suit No. NICN/CA/44/2025.
According to court documents, Dr. John Inaku and nine other lecturers are the claimants, while ASUU (National), Dr. Edor, and another party were listed as defendants.
The claimants are seeking 15 reliefs, including a declaration that they cannot be compelled to repay or remit check-off dues that were already deducted from their salaries.
They are also asking the court to order ASUU’s national body to lift the suspension of the UNICAL branch and restore all rights, privileges, and benefits to members.
In addition, the lecturers want the court to direct Dr. Edor to render a full account of all dues collected during his tenure and refund the sum of ₦138,782,840.97 or any amount found to be outstanding.
The suit also requests an order compelling ASUU to take disciplinary action against Dr. Edor, as well as an injunction restraining all defendants from taking punitive measures against the claimants over the case.
The lecturers are further demanding ₦150 million in general damages from ASUU’s national body and ₦50 million in damages from Dr. Edor. They also seek 21 percent annual interest on any judgment sum until it is fully paid, along with ₦5 million in special damages.
Speaking to journalists in Calabar, the group, led by Dr. John Inaku, criticised the financial management of the immediate past executive and accused the ASUU national secretariat of complicity and silence.
They questioned why the national leadership waited until a new executive was elected before suspending the branch, despite members continuing to pay their dues during nearly two years of suspension.
“We, the lecturers of UNICAL, have been committed soldiers in the ASUU struggle,” they said. “We have endured unpaid salaries, strikes, threats, and public misunderstanding in the fight for quality education and healthy university autonomy. We do not deserve to be treated as collateral damage in a crisis we did not create. We will fight for the soul of our union, for the truth, and for justice.”
Reacting, former ASUU chairman Dr. John Edor said he was aware of the allegations but urged those aggrieved to follow the union’s internal dispute resolution processes.
“There are mechanisms and procedures in ASUU for addressing such issues,” he said. “I advise anyone concerned to follow the proper process.”