News Politics

Ex-Abia Varsity VC Clinches PDP Gov Ticket

By Web News 467

The immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Abia State University, Uturu, Professor Uche Ikonne, has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate from the primary conducted in Abia.

Announcing the result, the Returning Officer, Governor Ayodele Fayose, said Prof. Ikonne polled 468 votes to defeat the closest rival, Mayor Lucky Igbokwe, who polled 45 votes, and Ezinwanyi Jonah, who polled five votes.

Out of the 11 aspirants, only three appeared for the primary as the rest eight were said to have withdrawn from the race.

Meanwhile, some of the aspirants that withdrew, including a former PDP state chairman, Senator Emma Nwaka, and Desmond Anyaso said they withdrew from the race which they said was inconsistent with acceptable standards.

“This decision is taken timely to enable me completely dissociate myself from a process that is fraught with irregularities, illegalities, and undemocratic acts. As a firm believer and disciple of the tenets of democracy, it would be injurious to my reputation, my aspiration, and the collective hope of those who believe in me if I go ahead and participate in a primary election that is most undemocratic, and at best detrimental to the progress and development of Abia State,” Desmond said.

Senator Nwaka also said he withdrew from the race which he said did not properly follow the democratic process, starting from the selection of the three delegates, even as forms for the delegates were not sold.

Punch/Taiwo Akinola

News

OAU VC: Crises Not Over

By Web News 699

Despite the return of normalcy to the Campus of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU Ile following the protracted protest by Ile-Ife indigenes over the emergence of a new Vice Chancellor for the University, the crisis is far from being over.
In a fresh development, members of the Ife Progressives Forum, an umbrella body of Ile-Ife indigenes have called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the  Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu to look into the selection process of the Vice Chancellor in the interest of Justice.
At a Press Conference in Ile-Ife, addressed by the President of the Ife Progressives Forum, Dr Famoriyo Gbolade, the Ile-Ife indigenes maintained that the selection process of the head of the Obafemi Awolowo University was manipulated against the emergence of an Ife person.
Dr Gbolade who presented a table tagged “Academic Profile of the Contestants” submitted that Professor R. A Adedoyin an Ife indigene from the University and Professor O. D Makinde an Idea person who applied from outside were the most qualified of the sixteen scholars screeners for the job of the OAU VC, yet a less qualified person was selected.
” Despite producing many qualified academics over the years, a deliberate mechanism has been put in place to ensure that no indigene has gotten to the post. Now, given precedence set in other federal schools including Universities of Benin, Ibadan and Ilorin, where deliberate efforts were made to appoint indigenes to VC posts, the argument is what is different about Ife?”
Dr Gbolade alleged that ” the secrecy surrounding the exercise is highly suspicious. There was path administered on the members of selection Committee, before the interviews were conducted and after, and during the process of compiling the results.”
Responding to a question on the alleged Protest of traditional worshipers on the campus, the Coordinator of Ife Youths Organization, Mr Abimbola Afolabi explained that what happened on campus was not ritual but prayers to appease God.
Mr Afolabi said if not for the suspension of the protest, there was arraignment to have both Christians and Muslim faithful conduct their own prayer on the University campus.
Recall that following the last week announcement of Professor Adebayo Bamire as the new Vice Chancellor of the University, some residents of Ile-Ife had embarked on protest to draw attention to what they described as a manipulated process to deliberately deny Ife indigene of becoming the Vice Chancellor of the institution.

Adenitan Akinola

Education

Outrage Over Announcement Of Bamire As New OAU VC

By Web News 699 Post a comment

The announcement of  the new Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Professor Adebayo Bamire, sparked protest as some people blocked the entrance of the University in disagreement to the development.

The governing council of the University, led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of council, Owelle Udoji, had on Thursday, announced Professor Adebayo Bamire as the new Vice-Chancellor to take over from Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede on 7th June, 2022.

Immediately the new Vice-Chancellor was announced, some people believed to be indigenes of Ile-Ife, barricaded the University entrance and prevented vehicular movement for almost an hour.

They insisted that an indigene of Ile-Ife must succeed Ogunbodede if peace would reign in the university.
The protesters threatened to shut down the University on Friday, warning people not to enter the campus.

Cont/Adenitan Akinola

Education

Who emerges as new UI VC?

By Web News 1780

The circumstances which caused the National University Commission, NUC, to order a fresh selection process to produce anew Vice Chancellor, VC, for the University of Ibadan may continue to linger as many conflicting stories and information continue to generate concern among stakeholders.

Traditionally the VC of any Nigerian university has a five-year tenure upon which a new one is chosen to occupy the office.

Following this, the request for a successor was made about six months ago as it was known that the outgoing VC of the UI, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka’s tenure would soon run out.

This request produced eighteen applications from within and outside the institution.
Among the applicants were; Professor Kayode Adebowale from the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, the same faculty which produced the outgoing vice chancellor, Former Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Adeyinka Aderinyo from the Faculty of Arts, Professor Bunmi Olapade, former Provost College of Medicine, Professor Raji Oyelade, Former Dean of Arts.

Others are; Professor Olusegun Kolawole, Former Dean of Education, Professor Tunde Salako, Former Provost, College of Medicine, Professor Olusegun Ademowo, Professor Farounbi, Professor T.K. Hamzat, Professor Femi Mimoko, among others.

As part of the selection process for choosing Senate representatives into the election board, a body which is expected to grade and ratify the appointment of the would-be vice chancellor were nine contestants who vied for two seats on the council committee.

Professors Peter Olapegba and Ezekiel Ayoola have already emerged but it was alleged that the outgoing VC played an influencial role in their emergence, a situation which did not go down well with other contestants who faulted the process.

The emergence of Professors Olapegba and Ayoola also generated a number of petitions from individuals within the university community.

The petitions in addition to the one by the members of the Joint Action Committed made up of Non Academic Staff Union, NASU and Senior Staff Association, SSANU U.I. Chapter, which were forwarded to the Federal Minstry of Education compelled the NUC to issue a directive ordering a fresh selection process devoid of the interference of the outgoing VC.

The memo which recommends that the 18 applicants be re-invited, also orders manual voting as against electronic voting earlier used.

Five members of the council committee comprise the governing chairman, two members nominated from the senate of the university, one representative from the federal Ministry of Education and a fifth from the NUC.

Sequel to the NUC memo of 23rd November 2O2O ordering a fresh selection process, a Senate meeting was held between Monday 23rd and Thursday 26th of November, 2020, where Professors Peter Olapegba and Ezekiel Ayoola emerged for the second time as Senate representatives of the governing council.

Some council members who were not pleased with the development walked out of the meeting.

This notwithstanding, a council meeting had been scheduled for Monday 30th November, 2020.

On Wednesday 25th OF November, the presence of security personnel comprising the men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Army were observed on the UI campus.

The heavy presence of security operatives according to findings was to prevent a breakdown of law and order as there have been previous threats of physical attacks within the premises.

Who would be named as the new VC of UI?

What are political antics being deployed?

What are the interests of unions in the selection process?

Is the whole drama and struggle worth it?
Radio Nigeria will follow up and keep you up to speed.

Rotimi Famakin