By SIMON EBEGBULEM
BENIN— FOLLOWING plans by the Federal Government to reconstitute Governing Councils of federal universities in the country, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, University of Benin, UNIBEN, chapter, yesterday, threatened to down tools, if the former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Sir Gabriel Toby was appointed Chairman of UNIBEN governing council.

They alleged that Toby, who was chairman of the former Council of the University which was dissolved by the Federal Government, ran the university like “his personal estate and while he was here, he was anti- staff welfare and stepped down promotion legitimately earned by staff but for the objection raised by ASUU.”

Addressing newsmen in Benin City, yesterday,  UNIBEN ASUU chairman, Dr Anthony Monye-Emina, recalled that when issues were raised against the dissolution of Governing Councils of Federal Universities, ASUU-UNIBEN, “made representation to the Visitor and the President, Minister of Education, detailing reasons why that of UNIBEN should stand dissolved and in particular, that Toby should not be reappointed.

He said: “This man turned UNIBEN into a business centre and became a major contractor to the University.”