OAU VC appointment crisis deepens as court halts exercise

The last may not have been heard of the controversy over the appointment of the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), as the Federal High Court, Osogbo has granted an order halting the process.

The order was sought by the institution’s Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) which have been at loggerheads with the university’s governing council over alleged ‘compromise of due process’ in the entire exercise.

The unions had also claimed that the council took a pre-emptive move to award marks and rank candidates without the constitution of the joint council and senate selection board, the statutory organ empowered to rank the candidates.

In an interview with The Guardian, SSANU chairman, Ademola Oketunde, said the court order had made the council to suspend the process, adding that the school management was yet to file a counter-suit.

He noted that a visitation panel from the Federal Ministry of Education had quizzed him and his counterpart in NASU, saying there expecting a reaction from the ministry soon.

Noting that they wouldn’t relent until the appointment process is transparent and credible, he added: “The council, however, has not been able to do anything because of the court order, but it is still in existence.

Contacted, the institution’s public relations officer, Biodun Olanrewaju, said management would not want to respond on a matter that is before the court, noting that such would amount to ‘subjudice.’

So, until the determination of the suit before the court of law, let us keep our fingers folded,” he added.Asked if he had knowledge of the visit by officials of the Ministry of Education, Olanrewaju said “I am not aware of their visit.”