Vasue was expelled due to a Facebook post, and despite the House's intervention over a year ago, the university remains defiant.
Lortim Philemon Vasue, a 400-level political science student at Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, expresses frustration and disappointment over the university's refusal to comply with the House of Representatives' order to reinstate him.
Vasue was expelled due to a Facebook post, and despite the House's intervention over a year ago, the university remains defiant.
Vause made a fresh urgent appeal to the House of Representatives on Friday during a phone conversation with SaharaReporters.
He lamented that his expulsion by the university and its failure to obey the House’s order since July 2023, has not only shattered his academic journey but also his future aspirations as a young Nigerian.
SaharaReporters in July 2023 reported that the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions had ordered the university to immediately recall Vasue who was expelled for posting about the eight months’ strike embarked upon by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in 2022.
Between March and June 2022, Vasue made posts on his Facebook page including one that said, "ASUU has always been of the notion that the Federal Government isn't funding Federal Varsities; so why would the ASUU allow Accreditation of Federal Varsities to go successfully even as the prerequisites for granting accreditation which is adequate facilities were not in place only for the body (ASUU) to reverse after accreditation has been given to say the FG isn't funding same varsities they made sure it scared through accreditation."
He also cited an example where a team from the National University Commission (NUC) came to his school for accreditation and asked a student if the school had Wi-Fi and the student said yes even though they had none in the school at the time.
While announcing Vasue’s expulsion, the university said he was guilty of circulating “unverified information via social media".
But Vasue had described his expulsion by the university as "unjust" and "a grave matter that has affected my life and future prospects as a student in Nigeria".
He lamented suffering for “exercising my fundamental right to express my position on the ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) strike of 2022".
Following a petition submitted by a House of Representatives member representing Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency of Benue State, Asema Achado, the House Committee led by Hon. Mike Etaba, ordered the university to allow Vasue to graduate without any victimisation.
However, Vasue told SaharaReporters on Friday that the university had neither reacted nor obeyed the order of the House Committee to date, making it impossible for him to graduate.
He said, “My expulsion by the university has profoundly affected my academic journey and future aspirations as a young Nigerian.
“This situation has not only shattered my hopes but also those of many who look up to me for guidance and inspiration.
“As a law-abiding citizen committed to positive change in our society. I urge the House committee on public petitions to intervene in this matter again as the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State hasn't responded to the order by the House committee on my reinstatement and graduation without victimisation.
“The unjust consequences of my expulsion pose a significant threat to my potential contributions to our nation.
“I implore you (House of Reps) to consider the far-reaching implications of this decision of the university and act to restore my opportunity to succeed.”