Teachers’ Union Maintains Neutrality In Cross River State Elections

The Nigeria Union of Teachers has maintained its neutrality in the political clime of Cross River State, southern Nigeria.

In a jointly signed press statement, the chairman of the union, Gregory Olayi, and the secretary, Bassey Asuquo, denied media reports that the NUT endorsed the senatorial candidacy of Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Senator Jarigbe currently sits in Nigeria’s upper legislative chambers and represents the northern senatorial district of Cross River State, comprising five local government areas of Ogoja, Bekwara, Obudu, Obanliku, and Yala.

Senator Jarigbe would lock horns with the state’s incumbent governor, Professor Ben Ayade of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to win the ticket as the people’s representative in Cross River northern senatorial district.

In the statement, the officials maintained that the union was a political and would remain neutral in the political affairs of candidates.

“NUT in Cross River operates as a tripod at the state level, the south, central and north. For clarity, the chairman of the union and other teachers from the northern district paid a courtesy visit on Senator Jarigbe and we never endorsed him for senate,” it indicated.

According to the officials, the media report was a feeble attempt to blackmail and smear the good reputation of teachers in Cross River State.

It explained that the NUT functioned within the established code of conduct, stating, “the union has its workings and norms; an individual cannot decide on behalf of the union. The highest organ, which is the state’s wing executive council, normally takes our decision.”

The NUT officials stated that the union would never turn its back on the governor, noting “the leadership of NUT in Cross River can never work against Governor Ben Ayade, who is a teacher friendly governor and has been organizing re-training programmes and paying teachers’ salary promptly.”

The NUT urged the public to disregard the media report calling such as “misguided.”