By Elizabeth Alaine

A group of lecturers in the University of Abuja have petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan over the manner his visitation panel sidelined the group even though it submitted memoranda to the panel.

The letter of the group, dated, 5 September, 2012, and titled,  DENIAL OF RIGHT TO INTERACT WITH THE PANEL ON OUR SUBMISSION AS STAKEHOLDERS, said: “All efforts to appear for interaction with either the main panel or its sub-teams proved abortive.

“Therefore, sir, by this protest, we wish to draw your attention to the fact that this deliberate exclusion of our union impliedly suggests that a balanced position of ASUU, University of Abuja on all the issues at stake has not been captured by the investigation exercise. This is because the splinter group led by Dr. Clement Chup is also a faction which means the views expressed in their submission cannot be said to represent the views of all the Academic staff of the University of Abuja.

“We hope our protest will be looked into dispassionately in the spirit of fairness as your Panel executes this important national assignment.”

Copies of the petition were addressed to the Minister of Education, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), and chairman of the panel.