Oyo State Government has said that the reactions over Governor Seyi Makinde’s ‘Step Aside’ order contained in a press release dated 16th April, 2021 which directed the embattled Vice-Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Professor Olufisayo Ologunde, to step aside was misconstrued by some section of the public as vendetta.
Speaking on behalf of the state government, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye made this disclosure to journalists on Monday in his office, stating that the letter only directed the former VC to step aside but not sacked.
Olaleye, explained that the purpose for not disclosing government’s reasons for the ‘Step Aside’ directive in the press release was deliberate, adding that the embattled Vice-Chancellor has all the detailed reasons of the government in the letter addressed to him.
It would be recalled that Penangle.com had earlier reported that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde on Friday 16th of April, in a press release signed by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, directed the embattled Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olufisayo Ologunde, to step aside.
The press release further directed Professor Ologunde to handover all properties of the institution in his possession to the next ranking principal officer.
In a swift reaction, Lautech chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria University (SSANU), in a press release after its meeting described the Governor’s decision as ‘hasty, cumbersome, and incongruous’.
SSANU’s statement reads in part: “Our union in light of equity, justice and fairplay therefore, arising from her branch executive emergency online meeting held on Sunday, April 18, 2021, having critically examined the contents of the letter and reports of our consultations with members viz a viz the provisions of LAUTECH Extant Laws, wish to observe as follows, that:
1) LAUTECH is not an appendage of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Oyo State or the extension of the Office of the Hon. Commissioner of Education Science and Technology of the State but a statutory body that has its establishment law as may be amended.
2) The law of the university did not give power to administer the university to the Commissioner but the Governing Council.
3) The power to appoint and terminate staff appointments is resided in the Governing Council and not the Visitor or his proxies including the Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology.”
The reaction of SSANU has continued to generate heated arguments in the public and has however, birthed another reaction from the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Branch.
The Academic Union in a press release signed by the Chairperson and Secretary of LAUTECH Branch, Biodun Olaniran and Toyin Abegunrin, on Monday 19th of April, condemned Governor Makinde’s ‘Step Aside’ directive which relieved the embattled Prof. Ologunde of his position as the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, describing the Governor’s directive as ‘lacking due process’ and called on the Governor to comply with the institution’s establishment laws, and follow due process.
ASUU statement reads: “The Union received with shock, the press release dated 16th April, 2021, emanating from the office of the Hon. Commissioner for Education of Oyo State, asking the Vice-Chancellor to step aside. Based on the content of the press release, a congress of the Union was held on Monday (19/04/2021) and resolved as follows:
“(i) that the Union expresses its displeasure at the said press release because it violated the provisions of the University Miscellaneous Act as amended, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology law 2020 and the University conventions;
(ii) that if there is any perceived misdemeanour on the part of any officer appointed by the law in the University, due process according to the law must be followed to address such.
(iii) that the Union acknowledges the power of the Visitor to hire and fire on one part and that such power is premised on the recommendation of the governing council according to the extant laws;
(iv) that as at today, the governing council has not been properly constituted in line with law of the University.
Our Union therefore, requests that, to maintain industrial harmony on campus and the on-going restoration of the image of the University, the above resolutions should be considered with the necessary urgency.”
The Commissioner for Education who refused to disclose or give a hint on government’s reasons for the directive, explained that the Governor Makinde’s decision was not a vendetta as being speculated in some quarters, insisting that the embattled VC has not been sacked but only directed to step aside.
He noted that the institution’s Governing Council will carry out investigations into the allegations levelled against the embattled VC as contained in the letter addressed to him, adding that necessary actions shall follow in line with provisions of the establishment laws of the institution.
“The Governor only directed the embattled VC to step aside, he was not sacked, our reason for not disclosing details of the allegations in our press release was delibrate.
“We can not say because the Governing Council is yet to resume then we will look the other way and allow the institution suffer, that was why he was directed to step aside pending investigations into allegations levelled against him, and in due time the Governing Council will act based on revelations from their investigations.
“We are not unmindful of the establishment laws of the institution and we have not acted outside of our powers as government, so it is not a vendetta against the former VC,” Olaleye said.
In his reaction, the embattled VC, Professor Ologunde, directed journalists who contacted him for comments to the institution’s Public Relation Officer (PRO) but admitted that he has accepted the Governor’s decision in good faith.