By Emma Amaize
WARRI— Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, FUPRE, Effurun, Delta State, chapter, weekend, vowed to defy the order of Vice Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Alabi, to call-off their action by signing attendance register from today.

ASUU and Non Academic Staff Union, NASU, had, last week, declared a work-to-rule over the recall of Prof. Alabi and the registrar, Dr. L. Onwuka, from their accumulated leave by the Minister of Education. They had been ordered to go on leave by FUPRE’s Governing Council on October 18.

Alabi, who resumed duty last Friday amidst tight security by mobile police-men, directed workers to resume work today.

He told Vanguard, weekend, that management had issued a circular directing workers, who were still interested in working in FUPRE to resume work, latest today, saying he was not aware that there was a work-to-rule by workers in the institution.

Secretary, ASUU, FUPRE chapter, Dr. Okoro, who reacted to the alleged plan by the Vice Chancellor to frustrate the resolve of workers by forwarding the names of those who refused to sign attendance register today, described same as an empty threat.

He said: “It is an attempt to repeat what happened with the University of Ilorin 49 that failed woefully. In fact, he has no locus because the Vice Chancellor is still on leave as directed by the Governing Council.

“Any lecturer who signs the register will be going against the union.”

A senior management, official who spoke anonymously, said: “He (Alabi) knows that the unions had declared a work-to-rule because of his and the Registrar’s unilateral recall by Minister.

“However, when he came to the office with policemen last Friday, he directed that a register be opened in the General Administration Department for staff still interested in working with the university to sign and return to work.”