ASUU LASU elects new leaders, national body kicks

BARELY two years after the expiration of the tenure of the last set of leaders of the Lagos State University, Ojo branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the controversies that led to the sack of many of the former executives of the union, a new set of leaders has been elected.

Tribune Education recalls that the university, during a protracted controversy terminated the appointment of the former chairman of the LASU chapter, Dr Isaac Oyewunmi; the vice chairman, Dr Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu, and the secretary, Dr Anthony Dansu, among others.

The newly elected executives of the union are Dr Adeolu Bakare from the Department of Economics, as chairman; Dr Babafemi Babatope as vice chairman; Dr Sylvester Idowu as secretary and Dr S. A. Adebanjo as assistant secretary.

Dr S. O Olabode has been elected as the new treasurer; Dr S.A. Oladosu as investment officer; Dr Adeola Ajibade as internal auditor and Dr Ayodele Awotundun as financial secretary.

The list of new officers was contained in a statement signed jointly by the new chairman and secretary and made available to newsmen. The development was also confirmed by the university’s spokesman, Mr Ademola Adekoya.

They said the new officers were elected last Friday at a congress convened by a four-man caretaker committee of the union, headed by Dr Ishak Lakin.

“We were specifically asked to facilitate the bringing together of all ASUU members, the payment of Earned Academic Allowance, the 20 per cent increase of basic salary of members based on the new minimum wage, the restoration of union’s check-off dues; construction of new ASUU secretariat, fostering of industrial harmony and to always carry along all campuses of LASU in the union’s activities,” the statement noted.

While promising to use their new assignments to lift the union and the university to a greater height, they however, solicited cooperation and support of all members of the union in the university.

But national president of ASUU, Professor Abiodun Ogunyemi, has described both the election and the new set of officers as illegal, saying they are not recognized by the national body.

According to him, all the past executive members of the branch (chairman, Dr Oyewunmi; vice chairman, Dr Adeyemi-Suenu, and secretary, Dr Anthony Dansu, among others) are still in charge of the union in the university.

Professor Ogunyemi said the former executives were unfairly treated and their cases against the school authorities are still pending in court; so, they remain the bona fide ASUU exco in LASU until the court finds them guilty of the allegations levelled against them.

“And we have already let the vice chancellor of LASU, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, know this true position through a letter we gave to him. I wonder why he is promoting illegality in the university,” he stressed.

Professor Ogunyemi accused the university of consistently violating the constitution of the union, which he said requires at least one national officer or representative to be on the ground on the day of elections of officers by any branch.

“But there was no representative from the national body in this case of LASU, just because the university authorities just wanted to continue caging ASUU and ensure it has no voice in the university,” he added.