EKSU Warns ASUU Against Disrespecting, Maligning Varsity’s Governing Council

Prof. Eddy Olanipekun, Vice Chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti, has advised the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) against pursuing actions that would smear or put doubt on the characters of members of the university’s Governing Council.

Concerning some apparent fraud and irregularities in the collecting of tuition fees, which are suspected to have resulted in the misappropriation of millions of naira, Olanipekun said the subject had been referred to anti-graft agencies for further investigation.

Olanipekun stated this to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday in response to alleged rowdy action taken against the Governing Council ASUU.

On Tuesday, ASUU stormed the venue of a Council meeting held on campus and led by Prof. Bamitale Omole, the Pro-Chancellor and former Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.

ASUU had accused Governor Kayode Fayemi of reducing the university’s subvention from N260 million to N130 million, causing salary payments to become difficult from April 2021.

Among other things, the academic organization accused the college of embezzling between N70 million and N100 million using an unauthorized portal set up to collect tuition fees from students.

The VC, who refuted the charges, expressed concern for the way ASUU members barged into the Council meeting and caused a deadlock.

The administration, according to the Professor of Chemistry, condemned ASUU’s move as a “ambush, unprocedural, and belittled” the university’s position at its 171st statutory meeting on Tuesday.

“Neither the management nor the council were informed,” Olanipekun claimed. They simply walked into the Council meeting without warning. This was unpleasant and disrespectful to us, and no normal person should support it.

“Despite the provocation, the council still went ahead and directed that some of the ASUU’s demands should be met. If they wanted to have an interface with the Council, there are procedure. They shouldn’t just storm the venue of their meeting.

“The Council of the university is placing premium on the welfare of staff. Though ASUU had made very good and germane demands, but there are matured and civil ways by which we can ask such in a university setting”, he said .

On whether the Council would wield the big stick against unruly ASUU members, the VC said: “The Council out magnanimity had decided to overlook the ASUU’s action and extended hands of fellowship to them”.

Olanipekun clarified that the university won’t tolerate any form of financial corruption under any guise, saying apart from directing alleged cases of corruption to anti- graft agencies for investigation, that the university had also constituted a committee to look into the matter.

“And we assure you that whoever committed or indicted for administrative or financial infractions will face disciplinary action, this we are assuring ASUU,” he said.

“ASUU too must understand that there are rules and regulations and whoever flouts the rules would be made to face disciplinary actions”.