The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta chapter, has dissociated itself from the call for the sacking of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, Pro-Chancellor, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, and members of the Governing Council.
The union made its stand known on Friday while briefing journalists about the crisis rocking the institution.
The ASUU chairman FUNAAB chapter, Dr. Adebayo Oni, said the VC and the Council were duly appointed in line with the laws establishing the university and could not be removed from office without due process.
It will be recalled that the FUNAAB chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities, rising from its congress on Wednesday, had announced the officers’ suspension.
The chairman SSANU in the institution, Mr. Rotimi Fasunwon, who made the announcement, said Oyewole had contravened Section 5.10.1 (Interdiction) of the FUNAAB’s Senior Staff Rules and Regulations, which prohibit him from “suspending three staff of the university since himself is presently undergoing criminal investigation under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.”
Oni, who condemned the SSANU action, said the varsity is not a ‘Banana Republic’ where lawlessness could be condoned.
He said, “Our union will vehemently resist any attempt to turn our highly revered university into a Banana Republic or Animal Farm.
“We hereby dissociate ourselves from any clandestine move to drag the reputation of FUNAAB into the mud.”
Oni advised aggrieved members of staff to explore the lawful internal mechanisms of due process in seeking redress.
The union restated its members’ confidence in the ability of the institution’s incumbent administration and council to provide academic, research and administrative leadership.
