The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Friday decried the recent two-year extension of tenure approved by Governor Ademola Adeleke for the Vice Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Professor Clement Odunayo Adebooye, describing it as antithetical to democratic norms.

ASUU in a statement issued after the end of its emergency NEC meeting in Abuja, contended that Adeleke’s decision had set a bad precedent capable of undoing gains of the Universities Miscellaneous Act in Nigeria.

It is recalled that staff unions within UNIOSUN community had been divided over the extension granted Adebooye by Adeleke, who is the Visitor to the university after an amendment to law establishing the institution was passed by the Osun State House of Assembly.

However, a statement by the National President of the body, Christopher Piwuna, maintained that UNIOSUN Law, under which Professor Adebooye was appointed was a domesticated version of a Principal Act – the Universities (Miscellaneous
Provisions) (Amendment) Act, 2012.

While arguing that the law stipulates that Vice Chancellor shall serve for a single five-year tenure without proviso for extension, ASUU stressed that extending Adebooye’s tenure by two years was antithetical to the laws establishing UNIOSUN.

According to Piwuna, “importing a two-year extension into the UNIOSUN Law,
through a hurriedly packaged amendment to serve the purpose was against democratic norms, which should be condemned in its entirety.

The statement reads: “The enactment of the Principal Act was part of efforts to curtail the pervading atmosphere of rancor and bitterness thrown up by tenure extension or renewal for vice-chancellors in Nigerian universities.

“The tenure elongation at the UNIOSUN may have reignited this unhealthy
atmosphere. It has all the trappings of exacerbating pent-up anger,
sycophancy, and administrative witch-hunt which are all injurious to the
healthy growth and development of an upcoming university like UNIOSUN.

“Again, Osun State has become a bad example for governors who may wish to put political expediency over and above legal and ethical standards to reverse themselves on the Universities (Miscellaneous) Act of
2012.”

While not exonerating Professor Adebooye for accepting the tenure elongation, following consultation, ASUU expressed belief Adebooye could still rethink his decision before January 2027 when his legally valid tenure will come to an end.

“As for the Visitor to UNIOSUN, Governor Adeleke should be told in
clear terms that this singular act of hurriedly changing a law when the
tenure of the incumbent is about ending is antithetical to democratic norms
and it stands condemned in strong terms.

“It smacks of disrespect for the
rule of law and puts a big question mark on his democratic credentials. This
is not good enough for a governor whose recent re-election against all odds
drew a nationwide applause.

“But, should reasons fail to prevail, ASUU shall not hesitate to further challenge the absurdity at UNIOSUN before it
gains a notorious national currency, “the statement concluded.