Election of new ASUU leaders in LASU irrevocable ― VC

The Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University(LASU), Ojo, Prof Olanrewaju Fagbohun, has said the election of a set of new officers by the lecturers of the university into the executive positions of the institution’s branch of Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) had come to stay and therefore irrevocable

He stated this in his response to a letter from the national body of ASUU signed by its president, Prof Abiodun Ogunyemi, that the national body does not recognise both the election and the new officers.

A copy of the letter made available to Tribune Online by the university’s spokesman, Mr Ademola Adekoya, on Friday.

Prof Olanrewaju, however, said in as much as all the four immediate past executive members of the union at the branch referred to in the said letter, namely: Dr Isaac Oyewunmi (chairman), Dr Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu (vice-chairman),  Dr Anthony Dansu (secretary), Dr Aboderin- Sonibare Adebisi(Treasurer) had been relieved of their appointments from the service of the university for various alleged offences and at different times within the last three years, they had no legal right again to hold on to their former positions.

“Apart from the fact that they are no more members of staff of LASU, their tenure had long been expired, hence the legality of electing a new set of leaders,” he maintained.

Also in their own reactions, the new chairman,  Dr Adeolu Bakare from the Department of Economics and the secretary, Dr Sylvester Idowu, said it was not only that their election was constitutional and followed due process, but that they(the officers) are all bonafide members of staff and eligible to contest for the positions.

They said it was absurd for the national body of ASUU to continue to defend illegality on the premise of doing solidarity, noting that the new officers were duly elected at a congress convened by the caretaker committee set up for the purpose.

They said there was nowhere in ASUU’s constitution to support the retention of the portfolio by any ASUU executive officer who is relieved of his or her appointment by the university and LASU cannot, therefore, be the exemption.