Suspended students leaders demand UI management’s probe

The suspended Students Union Executive Council and Students Representatives Council (SRC) of the University of Ibadan (UI) yesterday urged the Federal Government to investigate the financial transactions of its management.

They also asked the authorities to re-open the university for the undergraduates to commence their 2016/2017 first semester examinations.Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Idowu Olayinka had on Tuesday announced Senate’s decision to postpone the examinations to July 17, due to the violent protests embarked upon by the students in the school premises.

But President of the suspended Union, Aderemi Ojo said the union remains intact and would continue to fight for improved welfare of the students.Ojo who spoke in company of the union’s Secretary, Uchechukwu Augustine and Speaker of the SRC, Ibrahim Asiwaju faulted the Vice Chancellor statement without Senate’s approval, which he said, was contrary to the university regulations.

Ojo said it was unfortunate that the university was waging a lost battle against the students’ union government, which is just 24 days old in office.The union leaders who insisted that saying Monday’s protest was peaceful, advised the students to be law abiding, adding that it had taken several steps to prevail on the management to accede to their demands but to no avail.

He said it was unfortunate that the university announced their suspension without any formal document to that effect.Ojo however, demanded the immediate release of the Students Union Building and its property wrongly seized; immediate return of all undergraduate students to campus; proper and transparent account of the fees paid for the issuance of ID cards from the 2015/2016 academic session till date.

He also demanded the reinstatement of all expelled or rusticated students by the university central student disciplinary committee and immediate audit of the university bursary department, UI Ventures, UI Micro Finance Bank, office of the VC, offices of the DVC (Administration), DVC (Academics), Dean of Students Affairs, hall management committee, among others.

Reacting to the demands, the institution’s Director of Public Communications, Tunji Oladejo said: “As far as the university is concerned, student unionism has been suspended. So, there is nothing to comment about. All that is happening in the university has the approval of the authorities.”