OAU Senate defends VC, says EFCC’s invitation ‘a harassment’

THE Senate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has condemned, in strong terms, the invitation and questioning of the acting vice chancellor, Professor Anthony Elujoba, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Nigerian Tribune recalls that Professor Elujoba and the university bursar, Mrs. Aderonke Akeredolu, were recently invited by the anti-graft agency over the payment of an ‘unapproved’ N7 million furniture allowance to the vice chancellor, and hazard allowances to the institution’s workers allegedly amounting to over N1 billion.

But a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, said the university’s” Senate met on Friday,16th December, 2016 to review and discuss the issue, among other things relating to the security, peace and order on the university campus, and resolved:

“That the N300,000 paid to the Senior, and N150,000 to Junior Staff became necessary in pursuit of the general powers and mandate of the acting vice chancellor as the Chief Security Officer on campus to maintain peace, law and order and to prevent loss of lives and property; moreso, similar allowance had been paid to staff in other universities under different names and titles.”

It also stated that the payment of the said furniture allowance (to the vice chancellor) was statutorily approved by the governing council of the university at its meeting of 9th and 10th May, 2013 without provision for any payment pro-rata.

The Senate, according to Olarewaju, also held that “by the appointment of the Acting Vice Chancellor through a letter reference no. FEM/HE/CH/3C/II/403 by the Government, ‘the Acting Vice Chancellor is entitled to the terms and conditions of this appointment, including remuneration and fringe benefits as approved by government for Vice Chancellors of Federal Universities in Nigeria’, including the said furniture allowance.  Hence, the payment was perfectly in order.”

It then described the invitation by the EFCC as “misplaced, embarrassing” and one that was “patently a harassment to the Senate and the university community.”