Gbenro Adesina
Efforts to scuttle the process of electing the 13th Vice Chancellor, which is purely a men affair, at the University of Ibadan (UI), for the second time seems to have commenced.
PrimeStarNews learnt that six aspirants have excused themselves from participating in the town hall meeting organised by all the unions for the aspirants to interact with members of the university community.
There is also an indication that not all of the remaining aspirants will show up.
The town hall meeting is just an avenue for the community to officially know the aspirants, it does not have any serious impact on the process.
According to an information gathered, six aspirants have written to the organisers of the town hall meeting: Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), Non-Academic Technicians (NATS) and Students’ Union (SU), intimating them of their determinations to be absent from the forum.
The six aspirants are: Professors Aderemi Raji-Oyelade, Clement Kolawole Olaniran, Olusegun Ademowo, Babatunde Salako and Temitope Alonge and Emiola Olapade-Olaopa.
According to a reliable source, the acting VC, Professor Adebola Ekanola, who has joined the race, will also not be able to attend the forum due to official engagement in Abuja.
The six aggrieved aspirants took the decision because they feel that the process may not be fair and mistakes that led to the cancellation of the previous process are being repeated.
Some of these aspirants are not comfortable with the entrance of the Acting VC, whom they feel may emerge due to the power of incumbency.
Three aspirants some powerful forces are strongly working against are: the Acting VC, Professors Kayode Adebowale and Olufemi Mimiko.
However, investigations revealed that at this point, no one in the system can stop the process because the Federal Government and the UI Governing Council have resolved to appoint a new VC for the nation’s Premier University this year.
As such, the University has invited nominations for the Senate representatives on the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board for the Appointment of the next VC (2021-2026).
Two members of the Senate who are Professors, but who were not members of the Search Team for VC, are to be elected through electronic voting on Tuesday, October 21, 2021.
