VC Race: UI Vice Chancellor Crisis Thickens, As NASU, SSANU Responds To Senate

News Rain Nigeria reports that the University of Ibadan Vice Chancellor crisis thickens as the Joint Action Congress of the Non – Academic Staff Union and the Senior Staff Association of the Nigeria University of the Institution, have responded to the threats of the Senate members of the University.

The JAC NASU, SSANU on Thursday while responding the Senate made it known that the Union members on 28th, October 2020, staged a peaceful protest against the process of the appointment of the 13th Vice-Chancellor of the Institution, to showed they are displeased over the six contestants that were to be screen by the council.

The Union members maintained that they were not at any point in time as being assumed by the Senate of the University, the duty or responsibilities of appointing the Vice-Chancellor of the University.

Union members noted that they only recommended a comprehensive change in the process of the appointment of Vice-Chancellor, the power of the Vice-Chancellor in the selection and election of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor must be reduced, while the composition of Council must be reviewed.

Joint Action Congress of the NASU, SSANU, in a press conference at the SSANU Secretariat in the University through the speech which read by the Chairman of the Comrade Akinwale Akinremi, noted that the act that established the University has defined roles and line of responsibility of the Senate.

Akinremi said, every staff has a role to play in the choice of appointing the Vice-Chancellor, by providing their suggestions on any of the applicants, so it will not be a shame on all the stakeholders when eventually the Vice-Chancellor was appointed and later arrested by security operatives for some kind of unlawful acts.

“So it’s our duty as one of the stakeholders of the institution to see that we register our suggestions and opinions before the final appointment of the Vice-Chancellor of the University gets to the approval stage, and that is exactly what we have been doing, we are not in any battle with anyone.

We have made our position known and we cannot be a judge in our own case. While we await the final resolution of the conundrum, we want to also make use of this platform to commend all the shortlisted candidates for their maturity and forbearance during the protests.

We also appreciate the Council Chairman for his fatherly presence to address our Congress, while we also appreciate professor Ezekiel Ayoola and Peter Olapegba for having the confidence in our Congress that they are harmless and peaceful friends when the duo walked in through the protesting.

The speech which was signed by Comrade. Timothy Ohiuan, the Ex officio of NASU, Com. A. O. Akinlade NASU chairman, Com. S. O. Akinpelu, NASU secretary the University of Ibadan, Com. M. J. Etim NASU Chairman University of Ibadan, Comrade A. R. Omisore SSANU Secretary University of Ibadan, and Comrade S. A. Akinremi SSANU Chairman University of Ibadan, noted that there is need to correct the erroneous impression of any paid workers in the University, irrespective the status, that the University is their fiefdom.

News Rain Nigeria, recall that the Senate members of the University yesterday 4th, November 2020,  at the conclusion of its meeting disassociated self from the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria University (SSANU), and Non – Academic Staff Union (NASU), of the University over the last week Wednesday, 28th,  October protest.

The Joint SSANU and NASU members maintained that the Senate noted that the yesterday 4th, November 2020 Senate meeting was nothing but a political meeting of Olayinka Peoples Party, which is not a reflection of the respected Senate of our great University.

The JAC Union maintained that the Senate of the institution lack power to punish both the Union and the two professors that threatened in their resolutions.