OAU Staff Unions Protest Selection Process For New VC

The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife in Osun State and the staff unions are at loggerheads over the selection of a candidate for the position of the Vice Chancellor of the institution.


Staging a protest in the university campus, members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) in OAU called on President Muhammadu Buhari to dissolve the school’s governing council.

Speaking to newsmen, the Chairman of SSANU, Ademola Oketunde, alleged that the selection process of a new Vice Chancellor to replace Professor Bamitale Omole, whose five-year tenure would end by June 2015, was not transparent and fair.

Passing a vote of no confidence on OAU’s governing council, the spokesman of the union appealed that the council be dissolved and another panel set up for due process to prevail.

In their reaction, the Public Relations Officer of OAU, Ile-Ife, Abiodun Olanrewaju, who spoke for the Vice Chancellor, debunked the allegation.

He said that the present governing council has so far been very transparent in the selection process.

According to him, all allegations need to be substantiated with proof and it should be directed to the appropriate authorities.